Not Alone This Time
by Danny vs A Month
Summary: My OC in Naruto Shippuden. Retrying the story. Hopefully it's better than the last try. I would love some positive reviews this time but I'll take anything I can get.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any characters. Hopefully this version is better than my last try.

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Happy Birthday

Ryuu glanced back again, seeing Itachi walking down the road with Sasuke. Ryuu may not be Itachi's brother but he did consider Itachi to his brother. Ryuu's own older brother, Shisui, was waiting for Ryuu in the clearing they usually trained in. Technically speaking, Ryuu shouldn't know how to do much of anything since he wasn't old enough to join the academy but he had convinced his brother to train him. Ryuu was now proficient with kunai both as ranged or melee weapons, was excellent at Sealing Jutsus, and had bee watching his brother perform offensive jutsus for so long he had memorized how to do several, even if he knew better than to try it himself. He had made himself a trench knife styled after Asuma Sarutobi's and always kept it with him so that he would be ready for his brother challenging him to random sparring sessions.

Shisui, being older and much better than Ryuu, never really tried during their sparring sessions, only enough to challenge Ryuu. Because of that, Ryuu had excelled at learning to fight and would be one of the top of his class when he entered the academy in a month. Ryuu had yet to awaken his Sharingan but that was fine with him given the usual circumstances surrounding gaining a Sharingan.

"You're late," Shisui stated as Ryuu stepped into the field, already holding his trench knife and a kunai in reverse grip. "You were at your mother's grave weren't you?"

"Yes," Ryuu nodded.

Ryuu was only Shisui's half brother. Shisui's father had cheated on Shisui's mother with a Hyuga resulting in Ryuu. When the Hyuga clan had found out, they had sealed Ryuu's mother's Byakugan. She had later died giving birth to him and they had decided not to place the seal on his since he had black eyes, not Byakugan. He was taken in by his and Shisui's father as per his mother's last request, and the family had accepted him. Not many people new the truth about who his parents were but that was fine. Shisui still had some negative emotions regarding Ryuu's conception but he never blamed Ryuu. He loved Ryuu as his brother and would give anything to protect him.

"Shall we begin?" Shisui questioned drawing his tanto.

Ryuu nodded and charged forward, leaping into the air and slashing at Shisui's head but Shisui blocked it then caught his other arm and spun, throwing him. Ryuu landed on his feet and charged again, beginning to attack Shisui as fast as he could but with no effect. After a few minutes he jumped back and grinned. he wanted to show off. He loved to show off. With that in mind, he made several hand seals, making Shisui panic.

"Ryuu don't even-"

"Fire Style, Fireball Jutsu!" Ryuu shouted exhaling a ball of fire the size of a pebble which went out instantly making Shisui blink in surprise. "Aaww."

Shisui laughed at Ryuu's reaction and put his tanto away walking over and kneeling.

"Ryuu," Shisui spoke voice stern but caring.

"I know," Ryuu sighed. "No jutsus until I'm in the academy."

"Good boy," Shisui smiled as Sasuke and Itachi entered the clearing.

Ryuu and Sasuke were best friends and rivals, since their older brothers were best friends and trained them. Neither ever really competed for anything but attention but they both knew the other's strengths and weaknesses. Sasuke was better at bare hand fighting than Ryuu and Ryuu was better with knives. Neither was anywhere near old enough to try to use a sword so neither really cared about swords. And as far as ranged weapons were concerned, they were just about tied.

"Training him again?" Itachi questioned.

"Yeah," Shisui nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"It's time for dinner," Itachi stated.

"Is it really that late already?" Shisui questioned looking up at the darkening sky. "God, we'd better get going."

They all headed back to Ryuu and Shisui's house and from there out to Yakiniku Q's for Ryuu's birthday dinner. Afterward, everyone gave Ryuu a present. Ryuu and Shisui's parents gave him a necklace with a round gold pendant with the Hyuga Clan Symbol on one side and the Uchiha clan symbol on the other. Sasuke and Itachi gave him a silver ring in the shape of a dragon with the body replaced with an onyx that had an empty chakra holding seal carved into it, and a pair of arm bands that could be used to store ninja tools and were big enough to fit over Ryuu's legs but that shrunk down to his arms once he slipped his arms through them. Then, Shisui handed him a long rectangular box. Ryuu opened it and his eyes widened. Shisui's present was a tanto with a straight, double-edged blade, a round tsuba, and black leather wrapped around the base for a grip.

"This is...your old tanto?" Ryuu breathed staring at Shisui.

"I'm not allowed to use anything except the regulation tanto anymore so I figured you could have my old one," Shisui smiled. "Of course, I'll have to teach you to use it."

Ryuu threw his arms around Shisui hugging him tightly before returning to his seat staring at the new weapon. After a few more minutes they all left and Ryuu and Shisui went to their clearing where Shisui taught him how to fight with a tanto. Ryuu picked it up quickly and after a little while, they went back home.

That night, Ryuu lay awake in his bed trying unsuccessfully to sleep. After several hours, he finally managed to drift off only to be awoken by a scream. He was on his feet with his tanto and trench knife within seconds and silently crept out of the room toward the living room. The entire house was pitch black. He couldn't see anything. A flash of lightning illuminated the room for half a second before the room went dark again. In that time, Ryuu saw something that made his heart stop. His father was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood with his mother beside him hand inches away from his fathers. Both had been stabbed through the heart. Ryuu turned to run away, wanting to be anywhere bu there, only to see Itachi and Shisui fighting in the yard. Shisui had several scratches and one wound to his side that was much worse. Itachi was unharmed and had blood running down his sword.

"What...what's going on?" Ryuu questioned.

"Ryuu run!" Shisui shouted blocking another slash from Itachi's sword and kicking Itachi away. "He'll kill you! Leave now!"

"But...Mom and Dad are..." Ryuu tried to speak but couldn't.

"Ryuu go!" Shisui ordered again before Itachi managed to remove his left arm.

Ryuu snapped out of his daze and sprinted forward, slashing at Itachi with his tanto and forcing Itachi to jump back before he could kill Shisui. Itachi sighed as Shisui stood, readying his tanto again and stepping in front of Ryuu.

"Leave Ryuu," Shisui ordered. "I'm not letting you get hurt. I'll handle Itachi. You need to leave."

Itachi charged again, drawing a kunai and slashing at Shisui with the sword. Shisui blocked the sword and Ryuu blocked the kunai with his trench knife then threw a stab at Itachi. Itachi spun sideways then kicked Ryuu away while blocking Shisui's tanto. Then, Shisui dropped to the ground tripping Itachi and stabbed him. Ryuu crashed into the wall and stood as Shisui stabbed him but didn't even have time to cheer before Itachi's body exploded into crows and the real one appeared behind Shisui, stabbing him through the heart.

"NO!" Ryuu shouted falling to his knees and clutching his head, wishing someone would just wake him up from the nightmare he had to be having.

After a moment, Itachi turned and began walking toward Ryuu and Ryuu felt his pain turn to rage. His eyes burned and he wanted one thing and one thing only. To see Itachi die.

"You should have listened to your brother," Itachi stated voice emotionless. "Now you die."

Ryuu sprang to his fee forming hand seals and glaring at Itachi who was giving him a strange look, almost like he was afraid.

"Fire Style, Fireball Jutsu!" Ryuu shouted exhaling a fireball bigger than his own body at Itachi.

Itachi leapt back then to the side as the fireball exploded against the compound wall behind him. Ryuu fell to his knees instantly after firing off the jutsu and groaned as his body failed to support him. He hit the ground hard and saw Shisui in the distance. He had failed to kill Itachi. And now, he would join his brother. As this thought passed through his mind, his vision faded.

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Read and review. As I said, I am retrying the story and hopefully it will turn out a bit better this time, even if it is an OC story.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

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Team

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time skip four years

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Ryuu stepped forward and grinned holding up the kunai he had to throw. Over the years, he and Sasuke spent their time training so that they could beat anyone they were matched against. Ryuu, who used to wear the used to wear a standard Uchiha outfit like Sasuke still did, now wore a black, short-sleeved shirt with a light grey stripe down each sleeve and over the top of the shoulder, black pants, black shinobi sandals, black cloth sleeve gauntlets with metal splints running up the outside, and a harness for his tanto that consisted of the tanto holder attached to two leather straps that crossed in an "X" over his chest and back so that his tanto was between his shoulder blades, held vertically where he could easily reach it with either arm. His hair was short and spiky like his brother had been and more than one had commented that he was the spitting image of Shisui. Apparently, Shisui had awakened his Sharingan at two tomoe the night his brother was killed in front of him. Sasuke, despite it being his brother doing the killing, didn't seem to have as he had never used them since. Ryuu didn't either but was capable of it and used it every once in a while while training and kept it active during his free time to increase his chakra reserves.

Iruka told him to begin and Ryuu tossed the kunai into the air then began to catch them and hurl them over his shoulders one at a time at the target a hundred feet from him. The kunai stuck into the target, forming a circle around the outer rim of the bull's eye, just barely inside it, then the last it directly inside the circle of kunai that was so small that the kunai sparked as it slipped past the others. The entire class cheered as Iruka removed the kunai from the target and Ryuu walked over to stand beside Sasuke.

"Beat that," Ryuu muttered.

"Sasuke, your turn," Iruka called out.

Sasuke stepped forward and took the kunai and hurled them all at the target together. The result was a exactly the same as Ryuu's but with all of them hitting at the same time. Sasuke walked back over to Ryuu who rolled his eyes and the rest of the class took turns going, none coming close to Ryuu and Sasuke. Finally Iruka called them all to stop and they were gathered in the classroom again. Iruka waited for several minutes until everyone was silent.

"Thank you," Iruka smiled. "I'm going to be reading off the list of the preassigned three-man teams you will be split into. Each team was decided by the jonin captains' choice so there will be no trading or changing."

After a moment of silence he raised the paper and scanned it raising an eyebrow but otherwise remaining emotionless. Teams one through six held no one particularly popular, and no one Ryuu knew.

"Squad 7," Iruka continued. "Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno."

Naruto instantly stood up cheering while Sakura hung her head. Ryuu grinned and shook his head. Naruto was a good kid. A bit slow and with no amazing skill beyond being determined and having a massive amount of chakra. His downfalls could be overlooked since he lived alone and everyone hated him to the point of the teachers not even bothering to pay enough attention when he asked for help.

"And Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka finished and Sakura and Naruto switched roles while Sasuke simply sat there unamused.

Ryuu glanced back at Hinata, who everyone except Naruto knew liked him, and saw her looking at Naruto in disappointment.

"Squad Eight," Iruka continued. "Hinata Hyuga. Kiba Inuzuka. Shino Aburame."

Sakura turned around to gloat to Ino who sighed. Ryuu rolled his eyes and glanced at Sasuke who was again lost in thought. Sasuke was very popular simply for being a stoic. Naruto was unpopular because all of the adults hate him. And Ryuu, despite being related to Sasuke and as skilled as him, was about as popular among the girls as Naruto with one or two of girls no one cared about knowing his name. As for the guys, every single one was as jealous of Ryuu's skill as Sasuke's.

"What do you see in him?" Shikamaru questioned as Ino started to get agitated.

"You don't get it," Ino growled.

"No I don't," Shikamaru agreed. "Because I'm not a girl."

"You're just jealous," Ino decided. "I'd hate to be on your squad."

"Team Ten," Iruka spoke up. "Ino Yamanaka. Shikamaru Nara."

"Ha!" Shikamaru laughed. "Did you say something about hating to be on my squad?"

"And Choji Akimichi," Iruka finished.

And that was it. There was only Ryuu left.

"Those are all the squads," Iruka stated.

Ryuu opened his mouth to speak but Naruto beat him to it.

"Iruka Sensei, why does a great ninja like me have to be in the same team as a slug like Sasuke?" Naruto demanded.

"Excellent point," Ryuu spoke up grinning. "Let the great ninja be teamless. I'll be with Sakura and Sasuke."

"Hey, wait a minute..." Naruto said as he thought through what Ryuu had just said.

"Yes please!" Sakura practically shouted. "Oh please Iruka Sensei!"

"Dear God above," Sasuke groaned setting his head on the desk. "I'm screwed both ways."

"I said no switching," Iruka stated. "Ryuu, you missed class yesterday when everyone was given their headbands. I understand that you were visiting your family's grave as it was the anniversary of their deaths but that excluded you from being selected for a team. Instead, you will be a one-man back-up team."

"I'm only going to be giving the others help when they need it?" Ryuu questioned voice betraying the disgust he felt. "That's it?"

"No," Iruka said shaking his head. "You will be given your own missions as well but nothing that is dangerous enough to require a three-man team."

"So I'm a glorified errand-boy then," Ryuu spat.

"U-um, h-he could c-come with u-us," Hinata offered.

"No," Iruka said shaking his head. "I've already told you. There is no switching or changing. The teams, or lack thereof, are final."

Ryuu sighed and nodded and Naruto did the same.

"After lunch, you will meet with your jonin captains," Iruka stated. "Until then, class dismissed."

Everyone filed out of the room and Ryuu followed after getting his forehead protector from Iruka. After a few minutes, Ryuu reached the same clearing where he used to train with Shisui and where he had set up a training ground. There were seal tag controlled training dummies that attacked with swords with the intent to kill and functioned as much as a trap as a training method, several targets, some of which moved on pendulums, others that were stationary, and some that he had attached to the dummies just for fun. There was no cover and over fifty three dummies. Ryuu drew his tanto and chakra blade as the dummies all came to life, moving slowly at first then gaining momentum and turning toward him. They all charged and Ryuu sprinted forward, easily cutting the dummies into pieces before they could attack him more than three times. The main problem with the dummies, and the thing that Ryuu loved the most, was that the more beaten, the more skillful and powerful the remaining ones became. If all destroyed in quick succession, anything left, usually the last, was always a massive leap from the rest. Ryuu had been trying to destroy them all in one go for a while but the last one was always just far enough away that the bonus from the first one reached it just in time for it to block his first attack and gather the rest of the bonuses.

Ryuu leapt back as the dummy slashed at him and readied itself. Ryuu sighed and resisted the urge to activate his Sharingan. He always used his Sharingan and defeated the dummy without much challenge but he wanted to know just how much he had progressed. The Dummy sprinted forward and slashed at Ryuu and he blocked it then slashed at the dummy. It leapt back then spun and slashed at Ryuu again. Ryuu blocked the slash again and dropped to the ground, tripping the dummy. The dummy, being four wooden cylinders connected with chains designed to hold their position with two arms on the top two segments and two legs on the bottom most one, caught itself on its slower arms and spun kicking Ryuu away then sprang to its feet and attacked him again. Ryuu blocked several slashes before the dummy allowed his sword to slide along Ryuu's tanto and then drove it forward, slicing a gash in Ryuu's shoulder. Ryuu shouted in surprise stumbling back then ducked under another slash and activated his Sharingan, dodging another slash then caught a third before destroying the dummy.

Ryuu then put his weapons away and covered his wound with a hand just as someone behind him spoke.

"That looks like it hurt," a feminine voice behind him spoke. "Want some help with it?"

Ryuu looked behind himself and his eyes widened. There was an ANBU standing at the edge of the field watching him from the eye holes of a cat mask. She had long purple hair, hanging down to her waist as her only distinguishing feature in her ANBU uniform.

"Sure," Ryuu nodded after a moment.

The ANBU walked over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder and healing him then looking around.

"Quite the training ground you have set up here," the ANBU noted. "You probably have to replace those dummies huh?"

"Yes," Ryuu nodded. "It's not always cheap but it's good training."

"I see," the ANBU nodded. "I have a friend who can handle the cleanup for free. In the meantime, I'm going to be training you between missions."

"Training from an ANBU?" Ryuu grinned. "I am so there."

"Good," the ANBU stated. "Because we're starting now. Do you know the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

"Yes," Ryuu nodded. Why?"

"Make as many clones as you can use in battle," the ANBU ordered.

"Okay," Ryuu nodded forming three. "Now what?"

"Attack me," she ordered.

"Excuse me?" Ryuu questioned.

"Attack me," she repeated.

"With or without Sharingan?" Ryuu sighed.

"By all means, use it," she invited holding her hand out.

He shrugged as all of his clones activated their Sharingan and charged. Ryuu ran along with them, all of them wielding their trench knife and a kunai. When they reached the ANBU, she caught two attacks then jumped into the air kicking two Ryuus backward, both exploding into smoke. Then, the ANBU flipped herself over the Ryuu on her left and spun kicking her into the last Ryuu, the one she kicked exploding into Smoke while the other crashed into a tree. Ryuu groaned, deactivating his Sharingan and looked up at the ANBU.

"Want to know how I won?" she questioned.

"Because you're faster," Ryuu stated.

"Bingo," she nodded. "From now on, you will train with me from sun up to sun down every day. You will have one day off at the end of every week or when I am away on a mission. You will now run around the village twice. if you are not back within half an hour, you will be doing push ups until the sun rises."

"But it's fifteen miles!" Ryuu complained. "Once!"

"Then you should get going," the ANBU stated. "Your time starts now."

Ryuu groaned then turned and sprinted away. The ANBU grinned behind her mask and leaned against the tree. Half an hour later, she grinned as Ryuu stumbled up the hill coming to a stop.

"You ran around twice?" the ANBU questioned.

"Y-yes," Ryuu nodded gasping for breath.

A second ANBU identical to the first stepped out from behind a tree and shook her head.

"You can use clones?" Ryuu questioned.

"I can," the ANBU nodded. "Congratulations. You're a fast runner. Thirty miles an hour. I'm impressed. At your age that's quite a feet. Begin your push ups."

Ryuu groaned but fell to his hands and feet and began to do push ups. After a half hour, Ryuu was ready to collapse when the ANBU finally told him to stop. He collapsed, gasping for air before looking up at her.

"The sun's not set," Ryuu pointed out. "Why are you stopping me?"

"You've been doing push ups for a half hour," she stated. "You have yet to complain beyond a groan. Why?"

"Because you're my teacher," Ryuu stated. "I'm supposed to do what you say without any complaint at all."

"I see," she nodded. "Do another lap around the village then go home. We're done for today."

Ryuu nodded and turned, running back to the village then around it. Then, he turned and jumped over the wall, heading back to his house.

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Read and review.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

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Request

Ryuu stood, holding his tanto horizontally and exhaled, a green-tinted blade of Wind Nature chakra forming around the tanto blade and extending to the length of the average chokuto. His ANBU teacher nodded, grinning behind his mask as he successfully mastered yet another jutsu without his Sharingan. She had already taught him several Sealing Jutsus, the Dragon Flame Jutsu, the Phoenix Flower Jutsu, and Wind Style Air Bullets. Now he knew how to make Vacuum Blades as well. She could tell he had a purpose for learning the jutsus but that was about all she could tell.

"Good," she nodded drawing her katana. "Now that you know that one, you'll have to learn kenjutsu. I have a sneaking suspicion you'll excel at it."

Ryuu shrugged as she swung at him. He blocked it and shoved her back then spun slashing at her legs. She leapt over it then raised her sword to find his Vacuum Blade at her throat.

"It's not very different from fighting with my tanto except with more reach," Ryuu noted.

She nodded and vanished in a cloud of smoke then the real one appeared a distance away. She swung her sword in a circle in front of her then charged forward in a blur, leaving an after image. Ryuu tilted his head slightly then swung his blade up blocking her own.

"Neat trick," Ryuu commented. "But all you are doing is speeding up."

"I see," she grinned stepping back. "Your brother taught you to fight with a tanto very well it would seem. Shame you don't know the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"I know," Ryuu grinned. "If I did, I could be home sleeping while you trained him."

The ANBU laughed for a moment before reaching up to her mask and pulling it off, revealing one of the most beautiful women Ryuu had ever met. Even though she was likely older than his brother would be.

"You know, I always wanted to be ANBU," Ryuu stated, not entirely sure why.

"Why's that?" she questioned.

"Honest?" Ryuu questioned. "Because even in times of peace the ANBU get the absolute best, most dangerous missions ever."

"It's not as great or exciting as it sounds," she stated. "Most ANBU wind up spying on friends rather than fighting enemies. Some have to go so far as to assassinate friends. Sometimes lovers. Other times you go out with your friends to stop a group of ninja that threaten your village and you watch as your friends are slaughtered. They die one by one until suddenly you find that you've no friends left. You find that you are utterly and completely alone. That much is inevitable. If you're lucky, you may have one person left when you find out you're alone and you will cling to them, and shield them from any harm. But deep down, you will know that their death is inevitable."

"You sound as if you're speaking from experience," Ryuu noted.

"I am," she agreed. "I spied on several of my friends, had to assassinate one, watched thirteen die in battle because of my own mistakes, and was lucky enough to keep my lover alive. However, I'm not foolish enough to not see that he is slowly dying. His body is simply unable to function properly. He'll likely be dead within another two years."

"I see," Naruto nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she smiled. "I'm at peace with it. Death is inescapable. We'll all die eventually. Now, start doing sit ups."

Ryuu dropped to the ground instantly, following his orders as fast as he could.

"So what's your name?" Ryuu questioned. "Since you're going to be training me until your training methods finally kill me."

"Yugao," she smiled. "However, while I'm wearing my mask, simply identify me as either my mask or Master."

"Yes Boss," Ryuu grinned and Yugao rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me, Yugao?" a Leaf Shinobi spoke up stepping into the clearing. "We are being ordered to send Ryuu to help Team Guy investigate a group of shinobi to the west."

Yugao nodded and Ryuu stood, following the shinobi as Yugao did the same, putting her mask back on. After a few minutes, Ryuu left the village with the Leaf ninja while Yugao left, most likely for a mission. Ryuu followed the ninja to a small cave where four other Leaf Ninja were sitting, all disheveled and bruised.

"You guys okay?" the ninja Ryuu had followed questioned.

"Yes, thank you Genma," the jonin, a tall muscular man with black hair in a shiny bowl cut, a tight green jumpsuit, a Konoha flak jacket, and a forehead protector on a red backing as a belt spoke.

Ryuu looked around at the three genin, two boys and a girl. One boy looked exactly like a younger version of the jonin captain minus the flak jacket, the other was a Hyuga with white, lavender-tinted eyes, a black forehead protector backing with two straps hanging from it that looked like they were made to secure the headband to his head, a short-sleeved white jacket-like shirt, bandages covering his right arm, black shorts, a bandaged right leg, and blue sandals with his hair reaching his waist with the last three inches or so tied into a loose pony tail. The girl was wearing a pink, sleeveless, qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons, dark green pants, and blue sandals. Her hair was in two buns on the sides of her head, and she had two scrolls beside her.

"You're Ryuu, correct?" the man questioned.

"Yes sir," Ryuu nodded.

"Allow me to introduce Lee, Neji, and Tenten," the man introduced first the mini-him, then the Hyuga, then the girl. "And I am Konoha's Blue Beast, Might Guy, I'm sure you've heard of me."

"Not really," Ryuu admitted.

Guy instantly folded forward moaning something about being old as Lee tried to convince him of the opposite.

"They do that," Neji stated seeing Ryuu's confusion. "You're an Uchiha right?"

"Yeah," Ryuu nodded.

"Good," Tenten smirked. "We'll need you."

"What are we doing anyway?" Ryuu questioned, making Guy stand straight again, grinning so wide Ryuu thought he might be wearing dentures and flashing him a thumbs up.

"We've been tasked with eliminating a group of seven unknown shinobi just west of here," Guy stated. "With your help it shouldn't be a problem."

"You do remember that we couldn't touch them before, right?" Tenten questioned. "Not even you."

Guy again folded over and Ryuu rolled his eyes.

"Fast?" Ryuu questioned.

"Impossibly strong," Neji stated. "They fought us as thought they knew what we would do before we did."

"I see," Ryuu nodded. "Me and your two fastest fighters should fight them while the other two cover us from a distance."

"Well, Lee and Guy Sensei are the fastest and I'm a ranged fighter but Neji is more close range and tracking than anything," Tenten stated.

"He'll cover you as best he can then," Ryuu stated. "How long until you can move?"

"We can go right now!" Guy stated standing and giving him a thumbs up while grinning again. "Nothing can extinguish the fires of youth!"

"Yes Guy Sensei!" Lee exclaimed standing as tears rolled down his face.

"This is pretty much common for us," Neji stated. "Just ignore them."

Ryuu grinned and nodded.

"Are you two ready to give it another shot?" Ryuu questioned.

Neji nodded and Ryuu turned back toward the entrance of the cave as the others all stepped up behind him.

"Let's get going shall we?" Ryuu grinned before sprinting out of the cave.

The others all followed, Neji and Tenten eventually falling back as Guy, Lee, and Ryuu entered a valley where six men and a woman stood waiting, all wearing blank forehead protectors. The men all wore black forehead protector backings, black, skin-tight, short-sleeved shirts revealing heavily muscled torsos, and black and very dark grey camo pants that had pockets everywhere, at least thirty. The woman was wearing a white forehead protector backing, a white poncho over a tight white qipao-style shirt that was open from the bottom of her rib cage and revealed an expanse of the flawless skin of her stomach until her loose white dancer's pants. They all had sandals matching the rest of their clothes and all had the same amused yet condescending grin plastered on their faces.

"Welcome back friends," the woman spoke. "Oni, Makai, handle the two retards again. Aku, you handle the new-blood."

Three of the men stepped forward. One had a skin-bald head, one wavy brown hair to his shoulders, and one had black hair spiked backward with two locks farming his face.

"Aku," the own with the black hair bowed.

"Ryuu," Ryuu stated returning the gesture and noting the woman tensing before she grinned.

Oni and Makai both charged at Lee and Guy, both successfully managing to keep them at bay, despite both of the Konoha Ninja moving in blurs. Aku reached Ryuu, swinging a punch. Ryuu ducked under the punch and threw one of his own. Aku caught it easily then spun and hurled Ryuu threw the air to the wall of the cliff. Ryuu landed on it, staying thanks to Yugao having taught him to walk and stand on trees, cliffs, and walls. Ryuu drew his trench knife and kunai and sprinted forward, slashing at Aku's stomach then spinning and slashing at his throat less than a second later. Aku caught the second attack then an attempt to drive the kunai into the opposite side of his neck and began to squeeze. Ryuu grit his teeth against the pain and planted both feet into Aku's chest, launching him into the bald man holding Lee by the throat. Lee landed on the ground and crouched, gritting his teeth as he pulled his leg warmers down and removed two sets of leg weights. Then, he dropped them, each forming a crater as they hit. The bald man stood, shoving Aku off om himself then grinned and crouched, readying himself for Lee. Guy, still fighting the man with the brown hair, was surrounded by green chakra while his skin was an angry red, his hair was standing straight up on his head, and his eyes were completely white. He was a perfect match for his opponent but his opponent seemed to have more energy, as he was slowly gaining ground.

Aku turned back to Ryuu and cracked his neck then began walking forward. Ryuu leapt at him, slashing at his head but Aku raised his left arm and blocked Ryuu's attack at the forearm, then a kick at the shin, followed by another slash, a stab, a knee, and an axe kick. Ryuu finally leapt back, putting both blades away and activated his Sharingan, grinning.

"Fire Style, Fireball Jutsu," Ryuu growled firing a massive ball of flames at Aku.

Aku held his hand out and the fireball hit his hand, stopping before turning into a blade.

"Flame Sword!" Aku growled.

Ryuu raised an eyebrow then drew his tanto and created a Vacuum Blade.

"Let's see what you've got," Ryuu grinned.

They both charged forward and began to fight, Ryuu being able to keep up with his Sharingan active for several minutes. Finally, Ryuu sidestepped a slash and impaled Aku through the heart.

"AKU!" the bald man shouted just before Lee leapt over him with a kunai and drove it into his head, killing him.

"Oni!" the woman shouted. "Makai, fall back!"

Makai, the brunette, instantly leapt back as the woman stepped forward alone.

"I'll handle them then," the woman growled.

Then, she sprinted forward and jumped into the air, Guy meeting her halfway, only for her to kick him back. She landed behind Lee and spun kicking him into Guy, both of them crashing into a cliff. Just as they did, ninja tools of all kinds began to rain down at the assembled rogue ninja, Tenten seeming to have finally decided to step in. The woman looked up at the falling weapons in annoyance and swiped her hand over her head as if swatting a fly, a massive gust of wind blasting the weapons away before the woman exhaled a ball of fire as big around as the average building in Konoha up at the cliff. The explosion sent Tenten and Neji tumbling into the valley where they stayed as the woman turned back to Ryuu.

"Imagine my surprise when I learn that the backup my current opposition sent for was not a group of jonin like I expected, but the same person that I was ordered to retrieve," the woman spoke grinning at Ryuu. "He will be most impressed and grateful. I may even finally be worthy of speaking to him in person."

"Who?" Ryuu questioned.

"Never you mind who," the woman stated. "I am Neikan. Pleased to meet you."

"I'd return the compliment but that would be a lie," Ryuu stated. "Are we going to fight or chat?"

The woman grinned and began making hand seals.

"Fire Style, Dragon Flame Caterwaul!" the woman shouted before exhaling several small dragon-head-shaped fireballs at Ryuu.

"Impressive," Ryuu grinned mimicking her hand seals. "Fire Style, Dragon Flame Caterwaul!"

His jutsu met hers in a massive explosion, kicking up dust. As it settled, the woman fired several fireballs only for Ryuu to block them with the exact same thing. Finally, the two charged, Ryuu with his trench knife and a kunai and her with a pair of kunai. They fought for several minutes, both blocking each other's attacks at the same time as throwing another, neither gaining the upper hand.

Ryuu dropped to the ground, spinning, and the woman leapt into the air. Ryuu appeared behind her and spun, smashing his foot into her stomach, slamming her into the ground, then fell toward her, slashing at her throat. She rolled out of the way then threw her foot out behind her and sent him flying. He landed on his feet and saw both of his knives lying behind her, along with her own. She charged, not realizing she was close to the blades than him, and threw a punch at his head. He blocked it then caught her other fist as it sailed toward his stomach. she kicked him back then leapt into the air and began making hand seals.

"Fire Style, Dragon Flame Bomb!" the woman shouted exhaling a massive wave of fire at Ryuu.

Ryuu darted forward, slipping under the flames before leaping into the air and driving his fist into her stomach before flipping over her and holding his hand out to his side.

"Flame Sword!" Ryuu growled as a blade of flames, matching the one Aku had used earlier formed.

"NO!" the woman screamed just before Ryuu decapitated her, her head and body both lighting on fire and burning as they crashed back down.

Ryuu landed in front of the others who all stared at him in awe and fear.

"Your turn," Ryuu growled.

They all turned to run but Ryuu charged into their midst and began slashing right and left. Two of them, Makai and a man with golden blonde hair spiked forward, leapt into the air and began running in opposite directions. Ryuu held his hand out and the blade shot after the blonde, stabbing him through the heart and lighting him on fire as Makai escaped. Guy and Lee both woke up, looking at Ryuu to see him standing amidst the flaming corpses of their now dead opponents with blood splattered across his face and his body illuminated by the bloody light of the fire. Ryuu raised his hand then swung it down again, extinguishing the Flame Sword and turned to look at the, his Sharingan seeming to glow in the light of the fire and perfecting the truly unnerving scene before them.

"You guys okay?" Ryuu questioned.

"Fine," Guy nodded standing. "Did you do this?"

"It's amazing how poorly they fight when they're afraid," Ryuu stated. "Killing them was easy after she was dead. One got away though."

"Never mind him," Guy sighed. "Our mission is complete and I doubt he'll be coming anywhere near you again. Let's go."

"I have a question," Ryuu stated. "Why were they so much better than the two of you?"

"Because we were both still holding back and wanted to see what you could do," Guy stated.

"I see," Ryuu nodded shaking Tenten and Neji awake. "Time to head home."

They both stood and they all headed back to the village, arriving at the same time as Team Kakashi.

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	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

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Consequences

Ryuu sat on top of the building and glanced at the street below him. At about midnight, it was no surprise it was deserted. Ryuu had never had trouble sleeping, well, not since he had stopped having nightmares about his family's death two years ago. He couldn't even close his eyes now, though, without seeing the faces of the ninjas he had killed. He hadn't expected the fact that he had taken a life to make him feel sick. It did though. He couldn't stand the thought.

"You can't sleep can you?" Kakashi, Sasuke's team captain and wielder of a Sharingan, questioned appearing behind him.

"No," Ryuu admitted. "I can't get their faces out of my head."

"I see," Kakashi nodded. "Guy told me that you had seemed a bit different when he woke up but given the situation and the details about the fire light, the blood, and the number of corpses, I was more afraid that he meant you had seemed a bit darker. You feel guilt for their deaths don't you?"

"Yes," Ryuu nodded. "How do you get past that?"

"It's different for everyone," Kakashi stated. "I just focus on protecting those I care about. Guy focuses on the fact that they were trying to kill him, making it self defense. Your teacher is somewhere in between myself and Guy."

"That doesn't help me," Ryuu stated. "They weren't after the others and I already tried focusing on the self defense. It stopped working when I got to the ones that were trying to run away when I killed them."

"Are you religious?" Kakashi questioned.

"Yes," Ryuu nodded unsure. "It's hard to witness your entire clan's death without either going insane with thoughts of revenge or becoming religious. Why do you ask?"

"Maybe you feel guilty because part of your religion is that it is a sin to kill," Kakashi stated. "Or because you feel like you sent them to Hell. Perhaps you should try praying, for their forgiveness and your own."

Ryuu blinked in surprise and turned to look at Kakashi but he was already gone.

"He's right," a familiar voice below him spoke.

Ryuu looked down and smiled, seeing Yugao leaning against the wall on a balcony wearing her mask.

"Hello Master," Ryuu smiled.

"You should try praying," Yugao stated. "A lot of people have to. I do."

"You're religious?" Ryuu questioned.

"I am," Yugao nodded jumping up to sit beside him. "I wasn't for a long time. I didn't care about the souls of those I killed, or my own. I didn't start praying until those around me began to die. It's the kind of thing that makes you see how bad death really is. Everyone you kill could be just like you. They could have friends, a family, a lover. They may hate killing as much as you do. But in the end, either you kill them, or they will kill you."

"I suppose," Ryuu nodded. "I take it you heard about what happened."

"I did," Yugao nodded. "It's alright that you killed them."

"I didn't kill them all," Ryuu stated. "One got away."

"That's alright," Yugao stated. "The important thing right now is for you to find peace, then find your bed."

He smiled and nodded and Yugao did the same behind her mask.

"Thank you," Ryuu said after a moment. "It helps to have someone that knows how I feel."

Yugao nodded as Ryuu stood.

"Good night," Ryuu smiled and she nodded again.

He turned and walked away, leaving her to her thoughts as he finally went to bed and fell asleep. The next day, he left his house and made his way toward the clearing where he and Yugao always trained to find Sasuke standing with Yugao, who had her mask on.

"Welcome Ryuu," Yugao smiled. "You and Sasuke will be training today. How did you sleep?"

"I've been better but I'll make it," Ryuu assured her. "So Sasuke, I hear you awakened your Sharingan on your mission."

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and Ryuu grinned, doing the same.

"One and two," Ryuu smirked seeing that he had a different tomoe count in each eye. "Rare."

"As is awakening it at two tomoe," Sasuke stated. "Are we going to fight or chat?"

Ryuu deactivated his Sharingan and held his hand out focusing on what he had memorized during his fight against the rogue ninja.

"Flame Sword!" Ryuu stated and it instantly sprang to life, surrounding his hand and extending four feet to the tip.

"Impressive," Sasuke grinned silently forming a matching blade with the help of his Sharingan.

"Copy Cat," Ryuu grinned. "I mastered it without my Sharingan."

"I'm an Uchiha," Sasuke grinned. "It's what we do."

They both charged, their blades meeting in a shower of sparks before Ryuu spun past Sasuke and spun, slashing again only for Sasuke to block it then drop and kick him away.

"Enough," Yugao spoke up. "Open hand combat."

Both released their jutsus and Ryuu activated his Sharingan, the two Uchiha charging at each other and beginning to fight instantly. They had both been trained by their older brothers who had trained together. As a result, their fighting styles were identical and neither could gain the upper hand on the other. After a few minutes, they both jumped back, breathing hard.

"Impressive," Yugao nodded before stiffening and looking behind herself slowly. "Who is...run, both of you. Now!"

Both turned and fled into the trees, sprinting toward the village as Makai stepped out of the trees on the opposite side alongside another man who seemed to be his boss. The man had spiky black hair to his shoulders and wore a black cloak over pitch black splint mail armor, black pants, black boots, and black, fingerless gloves.

"Handle the bitch Makai," the man spoke and Makai instantly darted forward, kicking her into a tree then picked her up by the throat and squeezed.

She fought to break free as she struggled to breathe but both abilities eluded her. The other man walked into the trees after the two Uchiha and Makai grinned just before a sword blade sprouted from his back.

"Hayate!" Yugao gasped after falling to the ground coughing and gasping for breath.

"You chose the wrong village," Hayate growled wrenching his sword out and beheading Makai.

"We have to find Ryuu," Yugao stated standing. "He's the target."

They both sprinted into the trees and soon came to a scene of utter chaos. Sasuke, Kakashi, Naruto, and Ryuu were all fighting the man, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Ryuu all using their Sharingan and Naruto using five clones at any given time. The problem was, the man was avoiding every attack without once throwing one. He ducked under a Flame Sword from Ryuu then spun past a stream of fire from Sasuke. Kakashi darted forward and drove a hand filled with lightning at him but he leapt over it and spun, redirecting a Naruto clone. The moment he landed, a second Kakashi exploded up from below only to receive a foot to the face and disappear in a puff of smoke.

The man suddenly threw his arms up, revealing hundreds of seals on the inside of his cloak, but he left them alone. He caught two of Naruto's clones by the fists and hurled them into two more, destroying all four. Then, he leapt over a combined fire blast from the three Sharingan users and made several hand seals.

"Fire Style, Searing Migraine!" he shouted before sending a massive wave of flames straight down, covering the area and destroying the last Naruto clone while the others barely escaped into the trees.

The jutsu ended, leaving everything in a quarter mile radius burning. The Konoha ninja all leapt to the ground, Ryuu reforming his Flame Sword again as the man landed across the new clearing from him. Kakashi and Sasuke also formed a Flame Sword and the man snorted and began walking forward.

The clearing still had the burnt husks of a few trees but for the most part was merely a scorched waste. Soot and ash fell slowly from the air, giving the area a claustrophobic feeling. Small fires dotted the area, illuminating everything in a bloody light, accented by the light of the three Sharingan users' Flame Swords.

The man summoned a katana from a seal inside his cloak and charged forward. Kakashi and Sasuke reacted first, charging forward and slashing at the man only for him to knock their blades aside then leap into the air and kick them both in opposite directions. Yugao and Hayate both appeared, slashing at the man with their katanas but he blocked both, punching Hayate in the throat before kicking Yugao toward a fire. Ryuu caught her, setting her down as Naruto swarmed the man with a dozen clones only for them all to be cut down instantly and Naruto to be slashed across the chest shallowly before being kicked into Sasuke. Ryuu drew his tanto, forming a Vacuum Blade over it and charged, slashing at the man. He blocked the slash and punched Ryuu in the stomach, forcing him five feet into the air, almost level with the man's head. The man then raised his arm and jumped smashing his elbow into Ryuu's back, launching him downward into the man's knee. Ryuu shot away from the man and crashed into a tree then stood, using his Vacuum Blade as a support while the man fended off Kakashi for a moment before dropping and kicking him away.

_No one should be that strong, _Kakashi thought pushing himself up again as Ryuu charged.

Ryuu slashed at the man but he sidestepped the attack then smashed the butt of his sword into the back of Ryuu's head, knocking him out. He threw Ryuu over his shoulder and returned his sword to its seal, sidestepping another Lightning Blade from Kakashi, who managed to blast a large portion of the cloak, missing the intended target by less than an inch. Kakashi spun, swinging his Lightning Blade again but the man caught his attack with his left hand and spun, hurling Kakashi across the clearing and into a tree before vanishing in a swirl of falling ash.

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	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

* * *

Rescue

Sasuke knelt behind the buses with Naruto and Kakashi and glanced up at his Sensei. Ryuu had been taken almost a month ago and they had been tracking the ninja ever since. Sasuke was getting tired of waiting.

"Patience Sasuke," Kakashi whispered. "We'll save Ryuu. Don't worry."

"That guy may be here," Sasuke stated. "If so, I doubt we can beat him."

"Guy will handle him," Kakashi assured him. "No one can match Guy."

"There's the signal," Naruto stated nodding toward a Leaf Shinobi using a kunai to reflect the light of the sun at them.

Kakashi and Sasuke both fired massive blasts of fire at the massive boulder before them where they had tracked the man that kidnapped Ryuu to. The blast collapsed a section and revealed a small army of rogue shinobi. In this case, the small army was about thirteen. Kakashi and Sasuke exchanged glances before Leaf Ninja charged out of the trees around them. Among them were Neji, Lee, Choji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, their Sensei Asuma Sarutobi, Kiba Inuzuka, his Sensei Kurenai Yuhi, Hayate, and Yugao. Sasuke and Kakashi both sprinted down to the others, both having their Sharingan active as they began to fight the rogue ninja. The one that had taken Ryuu wasn't present but he may still be inside and even if he wasn't, most of the shinobi they were fighting were strong enough that no one had been able to hit one yet. Finally, Naruto swarmed the rogue ninja with clones and after a moment, the clones all disappeared and the rogue ninja fell to an attack from their opponent. Kakashi, Naruto, Guy, and Sasuke all sprinted ahead of the others and into the base, rapidly progressing through one winding hallway after another. Finally they reached a large empty room with only a desk and filled chair. In it, was the same ninja Sasuke was afraid they would meet.

"You're too late," the ninja stated, feet crossed on the desk leaning back in the chair with one hand behind his head and the other holding an apple. "The Uchiha's already gone. He left this morning."

The ninja looked Guy in the eyes as he spoke and when Kakashi told Guy this was the one they needed help with, Guy did absolutely nothing.

"Guy?" Kakashi questioned waving a hand in front of Guy's face as the ninja stood.

"Not that I wouldn't love to have a replay of our last encounter, I'm afraid I must be off," the shinobi stated walking around the desk and toward them and the door.

"You're not going anywhere!" Sasuke shouted as he and Naruto charged, the ninja batting both aside with ease.

"Guy, snap out of it!" Kakashi shouted but with no effect.

"You're wasting your breath," the ninja stated walking past. "He'll wake up in a few minutes."

Kakashi formed a Lightning Blade and charged forward, driving his hand at the ninja who spun swiping Kakashi's arm aside before punching him and sending him rocketing into Guy then the desk, Guy crashing into him.

"Adieu," the ninja spoke lifting a hand as he exited the room, the darkness of the hallway enveloping him.

After a few minutes, the others all attacked him out of the darkness but the ninja held out his hand and sent a blast of pure chakra straight out and down the hallway, blasting them all into the walls, allowing him to easily walk past. As he neared the door, Sasuke suddenly leapt into the air behind him with a kunai between each finger on his right hand, which was curled into a fist. the ninja spun, catching Sasuke's fist without touching the kunai then kicked Sasuke, taking the kunai only to see the paper bombs on them. Sasuke grinned as they exploded but as the smoke cleared, he saw the ninja standing there, unharmed, including his clothing.

"Nice try kid," the ninja grinned. "You almost had me worried there."

And with that, the ninja turned and walked out of the base, vanishing in a swirl of the sand outside the door.

"That could have gone better," Kakashi sighed picking up Guy. "Come on Naruto. We have to work fast if we're going to follow him."

Naruto nodded and they both sprinted out into the hallway, catching up to the others just as they left the base and began to follow the ninja using Kiba and Akamaru's sense of smell. After about a day, they stopped in front of a large hole in the ground where two shinobi in surgical garb, both male, were waiting.

"Welcome Kakashi Hatake, Sasuke Uchiha," one of them spoke as both bowed.

"Please, come inside," the other offered as they both turned sideways holding out their arms invitingly.

Kakashi and Sasuke exchanged uneasy looks but all of them walked past the two ninja, Neji keeping a careful eye on them as they followed. Within minutes, they reached a room with several examination tables with someone strapped to each.

"We do not harm the patients," one doctor stated. "We only do simple blood tests and give them a way to vent their energy through use of the Kekkei Genkai they possess. This boy, for example..."

He stepped in front of them and indicated a boy on a table to their left.

"...is fortunate enough to be able to create things out of his mind," the doctor continued. "Genjutsus that come true. Isn't that amazing? Think of the uses. And this girl..."

He indicated a girl to their right.

"...can return life to the corpses of the dead," he continued. "They are real people, however, their corpses remain in the same state they were in before being reanimated. She can return their personalities, their abilities, their souls. But their bodies will be exactly what they were. Skeletons, rotting corpses, fresh bodies. Imagine that. A Shikotsumyaku user's reanimated skeleton. The true perfect weapon. However, the downside is that, we have not yet figured out how to re-kill the corpses. So far the corpses have only stopped doing their master's bidding when she releases them."

"Do you have any Dojutsu?" Kakashi questioned.

"Not as of yet," the so far silent doctor stated. "At least, not at this facility. All of the eight facilities keep their patients records sealed to anyone except the Master. There may be some Dojutsu under examination at one of the others, though I highly doubt it. The Master has forbidden us from kidnapping those few that still have Dojutsu. It is exceptionally difficult to study them before the Dojutsu becomes unusable, whether from the Hyuga's infamous seal or other reasons."

"Then why would someone that we tracked here, take an Uchiha?" Sasuke spat.

"Uchiha?" the first questioned. "No no. We would never take an Uchiha. The bloodline is far to fragile at the moment. To few remain. They must live to replenish their numbers. Then, maybe, they will be fair game again."

"We're not getting anything useful from them this way," Sasuke stated. "Let's just kill them and get it over with."

"No Sasuke," Kakashi said shaking his head. "There's no point in killing unnecessarily. We have the ability to leave unharmed. Let's not waste it."

"Leave?" the second doctor laughed. "Oh no. You'll be the next opponents for our patients."

"Kurai kill them," the first doctor instructed and the girl that could raise the dead sat up holding out her hand as several panels in the walls fell open. the doctors around the room all looked around in surprise and fear as the bodies stood drawing various weapons and walking calmly toward the doctors.

"We'll kill them alright," Kurai growled.

The corpses began slaughtering the doctors and the one of them staggered toward Kurai from behind with a scalpel.

"I think not," the boy with the Genjutsu Kekkei Genkai growled creating a wall between Kurai and the doctor.

"Should we help?" Sasuke questioned.

"I think they have this handled," Kakashi stated just as hundreds of shinobi like the ones that had been guarding the other base swarmed out of a door on the opposite end of the room. "Or not."

Within seconds, the boy was wounded by a sword and retreated to Kakashi and the others with Kurai.

"You okay?" Kakashi questioned as the corpses began to use various Kekkei Genkai to fight the shinobi.

"Kurai, use me," the boy instructed. "The rest of you need to run. Even with the corpses it's only a matter of time before the Warden shows up. You need to be gone."

Before anyone could react, he charged at a Shinobi who easily stabbed him and killed him. Kurai instantly resurrected him, the corpse's head slowly raising before a sword appeared in his hand, glowing blue, and the corpse killed the shinobi.

"He was right," Kurai stated. "Go. I'll hold them here."

"Are there any Uchiha here?" Kakashi questioned.

"There was," Kurai stated. "A week ago. He was transferred. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Kakashi nodded. "You could come."

"No," the girl smiled shaking he head. "The doctors here were keeping me alive. I have a fatal incurable disease. Fighting them signed my death warrant. Leave. We...I will hold them here until you are gone then have one of my corpses use his self destruction Kekkei Genkai to kill them all."

"Alright," Kakashi nodded. "Thank you. And I'm sorry."

With that, they all turned and fled, the base exploding about three minutes later.

"Ryuu's gone isn't he?" Sasuke questioned.

"I don't know," Kakashi admitted. "But we can't find him. For now, we'll have to trust Ryuu to escape alone."

Sasuke nodded and they began to head back to Konoha. Kakashi was right. The base had been their last chance. If the leader hadn't been there, they had no way to find him. If he had, he was dead. And Ryuu was gone either way. Ryuu would have to be able to break out alone. Eventually, Sasuke knew he would. He was an Uchiha after all.

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	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

* * *

Escape

Ryuu charged forward the enemy shinobi doing the same. the guards and doctors watched from above as the two neared each other but at the last second, they both slowed to a stop and shook hands then leaned against each other's shoulder, Ryuu waving at the doctors and giving a false smile as the guards all sighed and drew swords.

"You ready for this?" Ryuu muttered.

"Not in the slightest," the boy grinned. "Never did tell you my name did I?"

"Nope," Ryuu grinned. "I'm Ryuu Uchiha."

"Tomu," the boy replied. "I would love to have your eyes. I mean, being able to see an enemy's move before they make it? That's awesome!"

"Seeing is only half the battle," Ryuu stated. "If you can't react you still die."

"I've heard," Tomu nodded. "Personally, I have a very special ability."

"Don't we all?" Ryuu smirked.

"Well, technically yes," Tomu nodded. "But I live up to my name."

"Tomu?" Ryuu questioned. "Fulfilling dream? Oh, you're that Genjutsu kid. Nice to meet you."

Tomu nodded just as the door in front of them opened and two soldiers walked out.

"Shall we?" Ryuu questioned standing and creating a Flame Sword which Tomu copied with his Kekkei Genkai.

The two sprinted forward, jumping over the guards and kicking them away from the door then sprinting through it and closing it behind them. They sprinted up the stairs and then took a left, heading away from the doctors and guards and opened a door to another coliseum where two more patients were fighting.

"FREEDOM!" the boy shouted running out the door, slipping past reanimated corpses as he did.

The girl followed, wavy blonde hair fluttering behind her. She skidded to a stop and hugged Tomu then smiled at Ryuu.

"I didn't think you could actually do it," the girl stated.

"Come on Kurai," Tomu smirked. "You know me better than that."

Kurai smiled and shrugged and they all ran up the stairs to the guard house only to skid to a stop. two men were standing there, one of them holding the boy that had run ahead of them by the upper arm while he struggled to get free like a disobedient child. The man holding the boy had fire engine red hair that fell around his head in a messy curtain that failed to hide his broad, stern, unimpressed face. He and the man beside him wore matching outfits with the exception of the man beside him still wearing the cloak Kakashi had ruined.

"What is this?" the man holding the boy's arm growled. "Looks like a riot but I'm not seeing even a little bit of success."

"You're gonna die!" the boy shouted drawing a kunai and swinging at the man.

The man merely squeezed his arm which shattered instantly and the boy dropped the kunai, screaming in pain.

"Ryuu," the other man spoke. "I brought you here so that you could be studied in peace. Now, you're going to have to go to our least pleasant facility."

"Less pleasant than killing children?" Ryuu feigned a gasp. "You must be talking about Hell."

"You'll wish I was," the man sneered. "Unfortunately, you'll need to be transferred to the transition base first."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ryuu growled.

"Warden, would you mind?" the man questioned the other.

The other man threw the boy he was still holding away and began walking forward. Tomu formed a solid steel wall between the two only for the Warden to tear an opening in it and drag Ryuu through by the face. Ryuu smashed his knee into the Warden's stomach and felt it break.

"You are being transferred," the Warden growled. "But first, I get to break you."

And with that, he smashed Ryuu into the steel wall, breaking his back before letting him fall.

* * *

Ryuu cracked an eye open, seeing the doctors all facing away. He was at his new base after transferring through the transition base to what truly was the absolute worst place he had ever heard of. During his twenty eight days there, he had been subjected to invasive experiments, brutal beatings from several dozen guards, painful blood tests, and just about everything they could think of short of carving out his eyes and cutting them open. Coincidentally, that was what they were about to do. Thankfully, Ryuu had been expecting it and had already come up with a plan.

Another thing he had learned during his stay, was that Sasuke, Kakashi, Yugao, Naruto, and a handful of others had tried to rescue him but had taken too long to find him and had missed him by almost a month. They had obliterated the base he had met Tomu and Kurai at a few days ago. Then, apparently, they had gone home from a lack of any more leads.

"Alright," a doctor spoke up picking up a scalpel. "I'll remove the first Sharingan."

As he turned toward Ryuu, Ryuu activated his Sharingan. The doctor stepped up to the experimentation table Ryuu was strapped down on and Ryuu instantly placed him in a paralyzing genjutsu.

"What are you waiting for?" another doctor demanded. "Cut the eye out already!"

Just then, a smoke bomb went off in the middle of the room. While not a part of Ryuu's plan, Ryuu used it to his advantage, instantly having the doctor cut him free before taking the scalpel and killing the doctor before standing and looking through the smoke with his Sharingan, seeing the silhouettes of the doctors dropping as blood flew through the air. Then, the smoke cleared and Ryuu looked around. The doctors were all dead and there was a single person standing in front of the door. A girl.

She had mint green hair to her shoulders with two locks framing her face, the right one of which held an orange hair clip that matched her eyes. She wore a short sleeveless white midriff shirt with fishnet armor underneath, long white armlets, fishnet shorts with a short white apron skirt over them, a Takigakure forehead protector on a white backing tied around her right upper arm, and a large cylindrical object on her back wrapped in a red cloth that crossed in an "X" on her chest.

"Ryuu Uchiha?" the girl questioned.

"Yes," Ryuu nodded slowly. "Who are you?"

"Fu," she stated. "I'm here to get you out of here."

"There's no way we can fight our way out," Ryuu stated. "I take it you have a plan."

"Two jutsus for you to copy," Fu stated. "Attack Prevention Technique and the Chameleon Jutsu."

Ryuu nodded and Fu demonstrated both. Ryuu copied them, memorizing how to do them then walked out of the room past Fu.

"Where the heck do you think you'll going?" Fu demanded catching his arm.

"I need my weapons and necklace," Ryuu stated. "This base has the collection stash. I'm getting my stuff back before we leave."

"Fine," Fu nodded. "Let's go then."

They both turned invisible and crept out into the hallway then along git as it wound and wrapped through the base. After about three minutes, they stopped at the doorway where three shinobi were talking. One had Ryuu's trench knife, another his tanto, and the last wore his necklace proudly over his shirt.

"Sorry to interrupt but I'll be having those back now," Ryuu stated turning visible again.

"Kill him!" the one with the trench knife ordered hurling the knife.

Ryuu caught it and threw it back then caught a kunai from the one with the tanto and hurled it back. Both knives found their marks, killing both ninja instantly. The ninja wearing the necklace darted to the second kill and grabbed the tanto, charging at Ryuu. Ryuu blocked the first slash then slammed his knee into the ninja's elbow, breaking it before taking the tanto and driving it up through his brain, killing him instantly. He pulled the tanto out and set the body down gently, taking his necklace and putting it on before closing his eyes and putting his hands together silently for a moment before moving to the other two bodies that were together. Fu watched in silence for a moment before speaking.

"Are you...praying?" Fu questioned.

"No matter what someone does, no matter what they take, or who they hurt, nothing gives you the right to take a life," Ryuu stated. "Praying for their forgiveness and mine is the only way I can find peace as a shinobi. Someone once taught me, killing in inexcusable, even when necessary. Everyone you kill could be you. They could have friends, family, children, a lover. Killing anyone has the same effect on their friends and family as your own friends and family being killed."

"Your friend gives good advice," Fu stated. "I suppose they have a point."

Ryuu pulled his trench knife out of the man's chest and cleaned both of his blades before he turned to Fu.

"Ready," he stated and they both turned invisible again, following the hallways until they reached a large room where the facility's Warden, a tall man with green hair, solid steel teeth, and a very nasty addiction to drawing blood, sat in a throne watching as a victim was being autopsied.

The Warden also enjoyed watching fights, gore, and deaths. He hated the prisoners, disobedience, and any attempts to break out. And there had been several. If he noticed Fu and Ryuu, they were most likely dead. The man that had kidnapped Ryuu avoided angering the Warden.

"Come on," Fu whispered.

They silently began to make their way through the room but stopped as the door opened and the same man that had kidnapped Ryuu strode through the door.

"Hello Warden," the man greeted. "You've failed, just as the other did. Isn't that right...Ryuu?"

Ryuu froze as the man turned and looked directly at Ryuu and Fu and the Warden followed his gaze.

"And the great Fu as well," the man continued. "Aren't we lucky?"

Fu and Ryuu both allowed themselves to be visible and backed up against the wall as the Warden landed beside the visitor.

"The Great Fu?" Ryuu questioned. "I didn't realize you were so popular with these creeps."

"We've...met," Fu admitted. "Unfortunately."

"Well, let's get this bloodbath over with shall we?" Ryuu sighed.

"Do you know why it's a bloodbath?" the man questioned. "Allow me to enlighten you. My brother here..."

He indicated the Warden who bowed.

"...is one of eight," he continued. "They are the Wardens of my facilities, and I am the Master of all. I am the oldest and strongest. But all of our true power comes, not from us being powerful, but from these."

He pulled his new cloak open and showed them his armor as his brother lifted up his black shirt to show a matching set.

"They weaken the people around us unless they are wearing a suit themselves," the man stated. "Your jutsus and attacks have about the same effect on me that a ball of paper would you. Paper bombs could still be lethal if they were used right, but the armor also allows for a low-level barrier around us that shields us from the damage of a few paper bombs. The barriers have weak points and limits, but nothing I should worry about from you."

"Be ready," Fu whispered.

Ryuu drew his trench knife and a kunai and crouched as if he were about to attack. The brothers laughed as Fu slammed a smoke bomb down and both she and Ryuu darted out of the smoke, turning invisible as they went. After they had gone around several corners, they heard running feet behind them.

"Now what?" Ryuu questioned.

"Use the other one," Fu instructed. "The exit should be a hundred feet forward and three levels up. Go! Now!"

Ryuu nodded and sank into the ground, disappearing as he followed Fu's directions to the exit. Once he was out, he killed the two guards, who he noticed were also wearing armor, and sprinted away from the base. After a while, he stopped and hid in the hollow of a tree and waited silently. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for, probably the Warden and his brother to rush past searching for him.

After a few minutes of silence, he was about to step out when Fu sprinted past looking around frantically.

"Fu!" Ryuu quietly shouted running over to her and making her skid to a stop.

"There you are!" Fu sighed. "Come on. I gave them the slip but it's not safe for us to stay here! You have to get back to your village where they can protect you!"

"What about you?" Ryuu questioned. "Will your village protect you?"

"I was banished from my village," Fu said quietly. "I will find no shelter there."

"Then come with me," Ryuu offered. "My village can protect us both and you would be welcomed there...I think."

Fu stared at him for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes before spilling over. She wiped them away and smiled but shook her head.

"I can't," Fu stated. "I'm sorry. Thank you for the offer but there's...I have to...I can't."

Ryuu nodded slowly then smiled.

"Alright," Ryuu nodded. "But you have to come with me at the very least until we see my village. Just so that we know those two aren't following."

"Alright," Fu nodded smiling. "We should move."

Ryuu nodded and they turned, sprinting toward Konoha and away from the facility. After about a day, the village came into view.

"You sure I can't change your mind?" Ryuu questioned.

"I'm sure," Fu smiled. "Good luck with your village. Maybe we'll meet again."

"I hope so," Ryuu smiled instantly noticing the guilty look on Fu's face but ignoring it.

He stepped forward, hugging her and she hugged him back after a moment.

"Thank you for saving me," Ryuu smiled stepping back and seeing fresh tears on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Fu smiled. "Just worried that when you get back you're going to forget to tell everyone you had to be saved by a girl."

They both laughed halfheartedly for a minute before Ryuu hugged her again then turned toward his village.

"Good luck," Ryuu smiled back at her.

"You too," Fu replied smiling before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

Ryuu turned back to his village and began walking. After a few minutes, he was home.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. As always, I skip the first exam because a written test just isn't that exciting.

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Lost

Ryuu looked around and sighed. He had been waiting at the clearing where he and Yugao always trained for well over an hour now. He knew that the entire village knew he was back. Just about everyone had greeted him. Everyone except Yugao. Maybe it was supposed to be his day off.

"How long have you been here?" her voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

"An hour," Ryuu stated. "Maybe more."

"Well, since you just got back, I'm going to start training you for the Chunin exams," Yugao stated walking around in front of him and seeing his bloodshot eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Just...miss a friend," Ryuu stated. "Anyway, the exams are in a couple days right? Better get training."

"Yeah," Yugao nodded drawing her katana. "Shall we begin?"

Ryuu nodded drawing his tanto and created a Wind Blade. They both charged and slashed at each other, blocking each other's blade before spinning past each other and swinging again, blocking each other's blade again before Ryuu leapt back. He began making hand seals before exhaling a fireball at her and she leapt over then spun and slashed at him again. He blocked the blade then spun, throwing her at a tree before ducking under a shuriken then leapt to the side away from a slash.

"Impressive," Yugao nodded. "And your Sharingan's not even active. How were they so powerful?"

"They wear armor that weakens everyone else and absorbs jutsus," Ryuu stated.

"I see," Yugao nodded. "I don't have much more to teach you. Practice your jutsus without your Sharingan. You already signed up for the exams?"

"Yeah," Ryuu nodded.

Yugao nodded then turned toward the trees.

"I'm going to talk with the others," Yugao stated. "I'll see you soon. Good luck."

Ryuu nodded and Yugao left. Ryuu began to practice the jutsus he already knew without his Sharingan but soon began to try to use the Chameleon Jutsu and the Attack Prevention Technique without them. The Attack Prevention Technique he got relatively skilled at quickly but he still had trouble with the Chameleon Technique.

"That's a difficult jutsu," Hayate stated appearing over him. "I'll show you something similar if you want."

"Sure," Ryuu nodded.

Hayate nodded and dropped down to him to help him train for a day before he had to leave to prepare for the exams as well.

* * *

Ryuu waited patiently at the gate. It was the second exam. The first had been a written test. Ryuu had answered the questions by watching the three Chunin secretly added to the group using his Sharingan. He had kept it active as long as he could so no one thought anything of him having them active during the test. At the end of the test and after several people were failed for cheating then others were intimidated into quitting, the instructor had passed anyone left.

The second exam was slightly more straight forward. every team got either a Heaven or Earth scroll and had to acquire the opposite from another team in the woods by any means necessary, including murder. After both scrolls were in a team's possession, they had to go to the tower in the center of the training ground known as the Forest of Death, where the exam would be taking place, and give the scrolls to the jonin waiting there. They were not allowed to open the scrolls under any circumstance. Aside from that, it was all fair game.

Among the others competing were three from Sunagakure, almost everyone from Ryuu's academy class, Neji, Tenten, and Lee, and three Sound Village genin. The Sound Village genin had various abilities, one of them being able to disorient people and make their ears bleed and glasses break from throwing a punch thanks to a gauntlet one wore. The other two had not shown their abilities publicly. Neji, Tenten, and Lee had tried not to show their strengths either but Lee had slipped up and caught one of Sasuke's kicks that shouldn't have been possible to catch. Ryuu's main worry were two people. One seemed to be the leader of the Sand Village team named Gaara. He had done several missions up to B-rank without getting a scratch and his cold, practically evil demeanor scared Ryuu worse than the thought of fighting the man that had kidnapped him. The other person was the leader of a team from the Hidden Grass Village. He never got a name but the person was just generally creepy. She had no sense of personal space as seen when she placed her extendable, prehensile tongue less than an inch from the second exams' proctor's mouth. Aside from that, her general bearing was off just enough for Ryuu to not want anything to do with her.

Currently, Ryuu was standing in front of a gate in a fence surrounding the Forest of Death, waiting for it to open, his Heaven Scroll stashed in a seal on the back of his left hand. Finally the gate opened and Ryuu walked through calmly. The forest was massive to allow the groups to search for five days and possibly find nothing. After five days, they would be disqualified i they hadn't reached the tower with both scrolls.

"So," Ryuu muttered thoughtfully looking around. "They'd have gone straight in which means..."

He turned a few degrees to his left and began running. After a half hour, he stopped in front of the group he had been heading for an a few minutes later, Lee, Neji, and Tenten arrived. They all stopped as Neji and Ryuu both activated their Dojutsu but Tenten stepped between them.

"Why don't we all show scrolls before we tear into each other needlessly," Tenten suggested.

Neji pulled out an Earth Scroll and Ryuu laughed for a moment before producing his Heaven Scroll. Lee grinned stepping forward and crouched.

"Good," Lee said cracking his neck. "I'll take him first."

"Put up a good enough fight and I won't take your scroll after I take you all down," Ryuu offered.

Ryuu resealed his scroll into its seal then readied himself, not touching his weapons. Lee charged forward, running down one tree then up the other to the branch Ryuu was on. He started with a punch that Ryuu ducked under before Ryuu spun and blocked a kick. Lee dropped and swung his leg at Ryuu's feet but Ryuu flipped sideways onto his left hand, sending his right leg at Lee who caught the kick before spinning and throwing Ryuu into a tree. Ryuu landed on his feet then jumped to the ground as Lee dropped at him with a falling axe kick. Ryuu blocked it, the ground under him cratering. Then, he jumped back, allowing Lee to fall to the ground. Both charged and Ryuu threw a punch which Lee caught, instantly throwing a kick. Ryuu moved to block the kick only for Lee to spin past him and become a blurred streak. Ryuu spun around only for Lee to appear to his left and throw a punch. Ryuu managed to duck under it and into Lee's knee. Ryuu stumbled back as Lee ran forward but Ryuu jumped into the air then used his Body Flicker Technique, appearing behind Lee and driving him into the ground before he could react.

"Not bad Lee," Ryuu smirked just as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. "Now stand up."

Just then, seven men appeared around them, all with almost identical faces and matching outfits including the armor Ryuu had expected. One had red hair in a spiked Mohawk, one had his hair spiked outward from his head about on inch across at the base of each and all plated in steel, another had his green hair in a flat-top, another was the warden from the base Ryuu had escaped from who had his steel teeth glinting in the sun, one had black hair falling to his shoulders, another had blood red hair in a small Afro, and the last was skin-bald.

"Destroy the armor," Ryuu muttered. "It weakens those around them while absorbing jutsus. After that's gone, me and Lee will take them all out."

Neji and Tenten nodded as the one with the green flat-top dropped down and charged at Neji while another hurled a kunai with a string of paper bombs at Tenten. Tenten unrolled a scroll, blocking the kunai with another, then using the explosion to send hundreds of her own kunai with smoke bombs. The ninja all blinked in surprise as the smoke grenades exploded. Ryuu and Lee instantly appeared in front of them, Lee with his fifth gate open and Ryuu with hit trench knife and a kunai. Lee drew a short metal rod, smashing it into one ninja's armor, the chest plate exploding instantly while Ryuu slashed the ties on one before moving to the next and doing the same as the first one's armor fell to the ground. After a moment, he leapt back with Lee and glanced to the right to see Neji use a series of seemingly glancing blows to cut the straps on the armor of his target. Tenten had used well-placed kunai to cut two of the shinobi's armor straps leaving only one in armor. It was the one that Ryuu had almost snuck past during his escape.

"Fuck!" Neji's opponent shouted jumping away from a strike as the others all fell back as well. "Now what? We're all vulnerable."

"_You're_ all vulnerable," the last armored ninja stated. "I'm still safe. Kill them. I'll work on repairing your armor."

"Sure," the one with the Mohawk snorted rolling his eyes. "And while we're dying, you'll have plenty of time to run away."

"Neji," Ryuu spoke up clenching his hands into fists. "You take Mohawk and Flat-top, Tenten, you cover us, Lee will take Afro and Baldy, and I'll handle spikes, the guy with the long hair, and the asshole that knows me."

Lee darted forward first and the two Ryuu had named dropped down and darted at him, one with a pair of short swords and the other bare handed. The bald one, who had nothing with him, began making hand seals and stopped, releasing a massive blast of wind. Lee leapt over the blast, which tore the ground up in its path, before spinning and kicking the ninja with the Afro into the first. Both stood just as Lee crashed down on the Afro ninja, driving a kunai into his chest then spun and kicked the other ninja in the jaw, snapping his head around backward.

"They're not very strong without their armor," Lee snorted.

"Kill him," the last ninja ordered and the one with the Mohawk and the one with the Flat-top both leapt at Lee.

They hurled dozens of shuriken and kunai at him but before he had time to react, Neji appeared in front of him, spinning and knocking the kunai and shuriken out of the air. Both ninja landed and took defensive positions as Neji stood with his right arm extended behind him with the palm upward and his left arm directly opposite it downward with the palm also up while his right leg was bent at ninety degrees behind him and his left straightened in front of him.

"Don't be afraid of the kid," the armored ninja shouted. "Kill him!"

"They already killed two of our brothers!" the one with he Mohawk pointed out. "We're not strong enough to kill them!"

"Use your favorite jutsus!" the armored ninja shouted.

"Wind Style, Pressure Damage!" the one with the flat-top shouted firing a massive blast of wind.

"Fire Style, Searing Migraine!" the other shouted mixing white-hot flames with the wind.

Lee and Neji both scattered into the air as Ryuu darted toward the one with th long hair. He spun, spitting several disk blades of water at Ryuu. He leapt over then then returned the jutsu, the blades cutting the shinobi into five pieces. As the flames died down, Neji landed beside the ninja with the Afro, hitting him in the chest with a weak palm strike that made him stagger backward and into the other ninja before he collapsed, his face beginning to turn purple.

"What did you do?" the ninja with the flat-top demanded catching his friend.

"I shut down his diaphragm and half of his heart," Neji stated. "He'll die slowly and painfully. Now, it's your turn."

The ninja fired a Pressure Damage at Neji who ducked under it then darted forward, jabbing the man in the throat. The ninja staggered away, clutching his throat then fell to his back choking on blood. Ryuu appeared behind the last ninja, slashing his armor ties then leapt away, landing beside Lee and Neji.

"Hit him!" Ryuu ordered just before hundreds of ninja tools began raining from the sky.

"No," the ninja Ryuu had just de-armored muttered holding up his hand.

A burst of wind shot out from behind him and scattered the weapons. Then, the two remaining ninja exchanged a single, knowing look before they dropped to the ground.

"You've made a grave mistake leaving us for last," the one with the spiked hair grinned. "We're the best."

"Your older brother is the best," Ryuu stated.

"Not quite," the one that Ryuu harbored a personal hatred for stated. "I am exactly as strong as him, but have a less unrealistic view of honor. It's a hindrance. Morals are outdated."

"We'll see how far that belief takes you," Ryuu growled. "I'll handle them."

"Yes, you will," the ninja with spikes agreed appearing beside Neji and Lee, kicking them both sideways through the trees.

Then, he vanished, reappearing behind Tenten and smashing her into the ground. Ryuu turned toward him only to see that he was gone. He spun back around and saw him standing beside his brother again.

"I'd introduce myself but you both know me perfectly," Ryuu stated. "I think it's your turn."

"Akuma," the one with the spikes stated.

"Koi," the other stated. "Strongest of my brothers. Now, shall we begin? Take him."

Akuma darted forward in a blur and threw a kick at Ryuu. Ryuu blocked it and felt Akuma's left fist break a rib. He flew away from them and crashed into a tree then pushed himself up as Akuma charged again. This time, instead of a punch or kick, he drove his head of spiked hair directly into Ryuu's torso. Ryuu shrieked in pain, Lee and Neji both stirring as he did only to be knocked out again by Koi who blasted both with a wall of wind.

"You've failed our test Ryuu," Akuma stated standing and pulling Ryuu off his head then throwing him to the ground. "We'll keep you alive, barely. Just enough to study your eyes."

Ryuu groaned as his vision began to fade and his mind began to drift. His memories were a series of jumbled images and faces. Then, a single thing focused. Fu. He could see her as if she were standing in front of him now. Except, she was. With a shock, and a great deal of difficulty, he focused his vision and saw Fu standing in front of him with a kunai stuck in Akuma's throat and another ready for Koi's reaction.

"You!" Koi growled. "What the hell are you doing here!?"

"What does it look like?" Fu questioned. "I'm saving his life."

"You think you can handle me?" Koi spat. "Fine. Let's see how great you really are."

Fu shoved Akuma's body away, taking her kunai back then sprinted forward and slashed at Koi. He ducked under her kunai and Ryuu's eyes followed. The tiny amount of movement that required sent pain flashing through his head while his Sharingan deactivated before his vision went black. He felt himself falling for a moment before the feeling stopped and he heard a cry of pain. A moment later there was a metallic clash before a solid thump sounded and everything went silent, his vision slowly returning as he lay there. When he could see again, he saw Koi on the ground with both kunai through his neck and a kunai of his own laying just out of his hand. Fu stood over him with her right arm holding her left shoulder as her left arm hung limp, blood dripping off the ends of her fingers. Fu turned toward Ryuu as his vision faded yet again.

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	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. I know it didn't rain but I decided to change that.

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Recovery

Ryuu groaned, cracking his eyes open and looked around slowly. He was still in the forest and could could see that he had been moved from where the brothers had been. Fu was sitting beside him, sleeping lightly. She had a large gash in her shoulder that was poorly bandaged and bleeding through. Fu was very pale but Ryuu was having trouble being able to move.

He looked down and saw that his own wounds were bandaged but the bandages had long since been soaked through. Ryuu grunted in effort as he pushed himself up to his knees and slid over to Fu. He rested his hand on her shoulder and she stirred, looking around and seeing him up.

"You shouldn't be up," Fu muttered, placing a hand over her wound and gritting her teeth, looking down at the blood on her hand.

"You've lost a lot of blood haven't you?" Ryuu questioned.

"Probably," Fu nodded looking down at her bloodstained top. "I know you're wounded but can you help me bandage mine?"

"Sure," Ryuu nodded. "How were my internal organs not punctured? Just curious."

"They were," Fu winced as Ryuu unwrapped her bandage, which was partially only not working because it was over her top, and then opened the first aid kit. "I healed what damage I could but using my chakra made my wound hurt and bleed more."

"It's alright," Ryuu smiled. "You saved my life again. I can't repay you."

"You don't need to," Fu replied, voice quiet.

"You'll have to take your top off," Ryuu stated after a moment of searching for more gauze.

Fu blushed while he turned away, but she pulled her top off, holding it in front of herself. Ryuu turned back around and gently cleaned her wound then bandaged it. Then he turned away again and she pulled her shirt back on. Once she was done, Ryuu sat against a tree pulling out his blades and beginning to clean them. After a moment, Fu took them from him giving him a sympathetic look and he sighed. He held his arms out to his sides, wincing as she unwrapped his bandages and then sighed. The major damage had been repaired but they were still bleeding heavily. Fu cleaned his wounds as much as she could with fresh blood flowing out of them. Then, she gave Ryuu an even more sympathetic look as she began to push wads of medical cloth into the wounds to keep them from bleeding through the bandages as fast and to ensure the inside could heal before the outside closed, which would result in fatal internal bleeding.

Finally she finished and wrapped his torso back up. He sighed and leaned back against the tree again, struggling to breathe steadily again as thunder rumbled overhead. Fu looked up as cold rain began to fall around them, stinging their skin. Fu carried the first aid kit through the trees to a nearby cave and Ryuu followed with his blades. When they got to the cave, They sat down across from each other and Fu decided to tell Ryuu the bad news.

"There's something you should know," Fu stated.

"What?" Ryuu questioned.

"It looked like your wounds may have been getting infected," Fu stated. "If I'm right, there's not much I can do about it because I only have very limited training in medical ninjutsu."

"I see," Ryuu nodded looking outside. "I'll be alright. Tomorrow I'll go find the scroll I need then head to the tower and finish this."

Fu nodded, unsure, then leaned her head back closing her eyes. Ryuu did the same and soon they both drifted off. A few hours later, Fu opened her eyes to see that it was dark and cold. Both her and Ryuu's bandages were in need of being changed, hers more than his, and Ryuu was pale. She slid over and unwrapped his bandages to see a spiderweb of red lines spreading from one wound to the next and around his back. His infection was spreading faster than Fu had expected, and she thought she knew why. The brother that had stabbed Ryuu was notorious for a variety of poisons. To think he had one that could aid an infection was nothing out of the ordinary.

Fu removed the bandages from his wounds and tried to heal them a bit more but again managed only to heal the wounds a tiny bit before the strain of using chakra made her wound throb painfully as blood began to run out of the bandages. She quickly added some medical patches under her gauze to slow the bleeding then cleaned and bandaged Ryuu's wounds, this time adding some anti-infection medicine to them before re-wrapping his wounds. then she carefully cleaned and redressed her own. She sat beside Ryuu, as he began to shiver and a light sheen of sweat began to develop on his forehead. She used his forehead protector to wipe the sweat away and felt his forehead. He had a fever, obviously, but it was a bit worse than she had expected.

After a couple of hours, it only got worse but he eventually woke up as she was struggling to bandage her wound again after trying to heal the infection unsuccessfully.

"You shouldn't be using your chakra," Ryuu croaked. "He probably got you with a poison."

"Most likely," Fu admitted. "You've got a bad infection. You probably got hit with a poison that aids it and it's only getting worse."

Ryuu managed to push himself up, his wounds screaming in pain and took the gauze from Fu, gently wrapping her wounds for her then laying back down and closing his eyes as she pulled her top back on. His entire upper body was screaming and his wounds felt like they had hot coals in them. Fu sat beside him, gently wiping his brow with his forehead protector and saw him grin.

"What's so funny?" Fu questioned.

"I'll have to wash that now," Ryuu complained weakly. "Thanks a lot."

Fu smiled and shook her head continuing to wipe the sweat off his brow. After a few minutes, she set the forehead protector down and sat beside Ryuu.

"Thank you," Ryuu said after a while. "Thank you for saving my life. You've saved me twice now. I feel like the only thing I can ever seem to do is rely on you for help. You, Neji, Lee, Tenten...everyone I know. I hate feeling like I need to be protected."

"You don't rely on me for protection," Fu assured him. "I saved you because I wanted to."

"You were hurt because I wasn't good enough to protect myself," Ryuu stated.

"It's not your fault," Fu stated. "I was hurt because I took a gamble and I almost lost. That's on me. You have no fault in my injuries."

"I do," Ryuu stated. "I should have tried harder."

"You couldn't have beaten them," Fu stated. "Please believe me. I know them. You couldn't have beaten them. You weren't strong enough. If it had been only one or two, even four, maybe. But they all came after you because they knew you would be beaten. I intervened and was wounded trying to protect one of the most important people in my life. My best and only friend."

Ryuu blinked in surprise then nodded and smiled.

"Help me sit up," Ryuu requested.

Fu nodded and helped him sit up against the wall of the cave then sat back on her knees and smiled. After a moment, his torso stopped burning and Ryuu smiled.

"Thanks," Ryuu smiled.

Fu smiled and nodded then sat beside him. He slipped his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together and Fu smiled gently resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're going to leave again after this aren't you?" Ryuu questioned and Fu's face fell instantly.

"Yes," she muttered.

"Please stay," Ryuu pleaded weakly. "I don't want you to leave again."

"I have to," Fu stated burying her face in his shoulder.

"No, you don't," Ryuu stated. "You can stay here. You can stay with me. I can help you with whatever it is you need to do."

"I'm sorry," Fu whispered sitting up and facing Ryuu. "I have to go."

"Please," Ryuu pleaded one last time. "Please don't leave me."

Fu stared at him for a moment before tears began rolling down her cheeks and her head fell. Ryuu understood. She couldn't stay even if she wanted to. And he couldn't leave with her.

"Okay," Ryuu smiled. "I won't try to stop you."

Fu looked up at him and he smiled.

"I trust you," Ryuu continued. "If you tell me that it's important, I'll believe you."

"It is important," Fu stated.

Ryuu nodded and smiled again. Fu smiled as well, despite the tears rolling down her cheeks. Ryuu reached up and gently wiped them away and she caught his hand smiling. Ryuu silently leaned forward a bit and after a moment, Fu did the same resting her forehead against his. Then, their lips met. Ryuu's head went numb as his torso did the same. After a moment, Fu pulled away, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Ryuu smiled and tried to lift his hand to wipe her tears away, except that he couldn't move his hand. Or any of the rest of his body. He was suddenly against the tree again, then on the ground. Fu appeared in his shrinking field of vision, panicked. Then, it went black.

* * *

Ryuu suddenly collapsed back against the tree. Fu blinked in surprise, unsure about whether he was tired or if it was something else until he fell to the side. He was blacking out. Fu scrambled over to him, checking under his bandages. His infection was progressing much more rapidly than before she had bandaged it last. He would be dead within two hours. Possibly less. Fu looked around desperately before remembering the ninjas that had been helping Ryuu. Surely they couldn't have gone too far. It had been a few days, however.

Fu quickly gathered their things then picked up Ryuu and darted out into the trees. It had stopped raining at some point but everything was still cold and wet. Every branch that slapped against Fu stung like an angry wasp. She made it back to the corpses she and the others had left and looked around.

"What was it?" Fu muttered to herself. "LEE!"

No answer.

"LEE!" Fu screamed again running through the trees now as the other names came to mind. "NEJI! TENTEN! SOMEONE!"

Suddenly, someone appeared in front of them. A Hidden Grass ninja wearing a stone mask and a green shirt.

"Oh thank God," Fu sighed. "My friend needs help."

"Bring him here," the ninja stated drawing a kunai. "I have some medicine."

"Down!" a voice shouted and Fu dropped as a hail of kunai and shuriken sailed over her, killing the ninja and the girl that had been helping Ryuu landed on one side with the boys on her other.

"Who are you?" the Hyuga, Neji, demanded.

"My name is Fu," Fu stated. "I helped Ryuu escape when he was captured and after you were all knocked out and Ryuu wounded, I saved him and killed the last two ninja. We were both wounded but he was hit with a poison that made an infection spread through his body rapidly. He'll die inside an hour if he doesn't get help. Please, you have to help him."

"Give him to me," Neji instructed and Fu complied.

Neji unsealed Ryuu's scroll then handed it and his own to Fu.

"Take Ryuu straight that way," Neji ordered pointing before handing Ryuu back. The scrolls will allow him to continue in the exams after he recovers. You will need to tell them he was poisoned, immediately upon arrival. Do not wait. Understand?"

"Yes," Fu nodded standing with Ryuu. "Thank you."

Neji nodded and motioned for Lee to go with her. The two of them took off running and reached the tower in about forty minutes. Just as they did, Lee burst through the door shouting for a medic. several ran over and took Ryuu as another healed Fu. Lee walked back outside with Fu and sighed.

"Ryuu should be okay," Lee stated. "The medics know what they're doing. They'll save him."

He turned around and blinked. Fu was gone.

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. I changed the order so I could have the most story-relevant ones but skip the rest. The only time I will use a Japanese honorific is when Ryuu is addressing Yugao by her mask which will be Neko-chan. I get so confused by honorifics so I try not to use them.

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Preliminaries

Ryuu stepped up next to Sakura and asked what was going on and whether he had been failed.

"You were allowed to continue," Sakura assured him. "We're being selected at random to fight. So far, the Sound Village kid with the gauntlet and the hunch back beat Choji, me and Ino tied so we both lost, Shikamaru beat the Sound Village girl, Shino, the kid with the trench coat from the Leaf, beat the other Sound Village guy, Tenten lost to the Sand Village girl with the fan, The Sand Village boy with the face paint beat one of the leaf village with the purple clothes, Naruto beat Kiba, barely, and Sasuke fought one of the Hidden Leaf guys and won but almost had all of his chakra stolen."

"Right," Ryuu nodded just as the screen where the matches were shown displayed Hinata and Neji's name. "Oh dear."

"What?" Sakura questioned.

"If I remember right, Hinata was too gentle to stand a chance against Neji," Ryuu stated as both Hyugas moved to the ring and stood facing each other.

"I never thought that you and I would have to face each other, Hinata," Neji commented.

"Nor I Brother," Hinata replied.

"Brother?" Sakura questioned.

"They're both descended from the Hyuga clan," Kakashi, who had just returned from wherever he had been, stated. "One of the most ancient and honorable clans of the Hidden Leaf Village, not actually brother and sister."

"Okay, but they are related, right?" Sakura questioned.

"Yes, in the way that branches of a great tree are related to its trunk," Kakashi stated. "Technically, they're more like cousins."

"So, it's like a family feud," Sakura stated.

"Kind of," Kakashi nodded.

"They're starting," Naruto stated.

"Alright, you may begin when ready," Hayate, who Ryuu was happy to see was the judge of the fights, stated.

"Before we do this, a word of advice," Neji offered. "Hinata, listen to me. Withdraw now. You know you were never meant to be a ninja."

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise and hurt but Neji wasn't done.

"You're too kind and gentle," Neji explained. "You seek harmony and avoid conflict. You allow yourself to be easily swayed by others. Admit it, you have no confidence. You feel inferior to everyone else here. It would have been better for you to simply remain a genin. But to register for the Chunin Exams you need a team of three people. You never even wanted to take part in these exams but Shino and Kiba did, and you couldn't bare to let your teammates down, could you?"

"No!" Hinata practically pleaded. "You're wrong! You're wrong! I wanted...I had to find out...I did it because it I wanted to see if I could change."

After several moments, Neji said, "Hinata, you are the pampered offspring of the Hyuga's Main Branch."

"What?" Hinata said in surprise.

"People can't change no matter how hard they try," Neji stated coldly.

Hinata's eyes were instantly filled with hurt while her face showed shock. She believed him, at least in part.

"They can't run away from their true nature," Neji continued. "A failure will always be a failure."

Ryuu noticed Naruto gripping the hand rail tightly, nearing the end of his patience.

"People are judged by their true nature," Neji stated. "It is the way of the world. That is why we have an elite, and why we have outcasts. We can change our physical appearance. We can improve our skills with training and study. But ultimately, we are judged by what we cannot change. What can't be changed, must be endured. We are who we are Hinata. And we must live with it."

By now, Hinata was on the verge of tears, and Naruto was only still on the balcony because Kakashi had a hold on his arm.

"Just as I must live with the face that you were born into the elite of our clan, while I am from a lesser branch," Neji stated. "I understand these things because I see the world clearly, with my Byakugan. Despite your brave words, what you're really thinking is that you'd like to run, run as far away from here as you can."

"No!" Hinata cried. "You're wrong! You're wrong about me!"

"Byakugan?" Sakura questioned Kakashi.

"It's the Kekkei Genkai, or Bloodline Trait of the Hyuga Clan," Kakashi stated.

they all turned back to the Hyugas in time to see Neji form a hand seals and say, "Byakugan!"

Veins began to stand out at the sides of his face and smaller ones in his iris and his pupils became more distinct. The simple act of him activating his Byakugan was enough to make Hinata shake in fear. After a moment, she looked away, unable to look him in the eye.

"My eyes cannot be deceived," Neji finally said. "A moment ago, in the slightest of movements, your eyes drifted to the upper left corner of the room. I saw, at that moment, you were thinking of your past. Bitter past. And then, almost immediately after your gaze drifted to the lower right. It was a mere flicker of the eyes but to me it revealed all of your mental and physical suffering. You're seeing your old self, and wondering if your life is prepared you for this moment. You're picturing the outcome of the battle. You see yourself losing!"

Hinata gasped and Naruto growled in frustration. Ryuu subtly shook his head but Naruto ignored him.

"And the way you're holding your arms in front of your body like that?" Neji sneered. "It tells me that you're trying to build a wall between us to keep me at bay. You want me to keep from reading the deepest recesses of your mind. And why? Because everything I've said is true! Shall I go on?"

Kakashi tightened his grip but knew that it was futile.

"That familiar gesture of putting your finger to your lips," Neji continued. "I know that it's a desperate attempt to suppress your rising panic. Made all the more desperate by the fact that you know it's futile! It's all futile Hinata. You are what you are. Whether you admit it or not. You already know-"

"Enough already!" Naruto finally shouted. "Who the hell gave you the right to tell her what she can an can't be? Just shut the fuck up and mind your own damn business! You call her a coward but she's not the one who's trying to talk you out of actually fighting! Come on Hinata! Show him just how strong you are!"

Hinata stared at him for a moment before her head fell. Neji glared up at Naruto then looked back at Hinata and his eyes widened. A moment later, Hinata looked up at him with a determined stare.

"If you don't forfeit the match, you know what will happen," Neji warned.

Hinata responded by beginning to make hand seals.

_I won't run away,_ Hinata thought. _Never again. No more hiding!_

She finished her seals and activated her Byakugan. Ryuu sighed knowing, as did everyone else in the room, that the fight was over. There was no way Hinata could beat Neji.

She took a stance and said, "Defend yourself, my brother."

Neji mirrored her stance and said, "Very well then."

After a couple minutes, they both darted forward and Hinata thrust her hand toward her, palm open and Neji blocked it, careful not to touch her hand. As she threw her hand forward, chakra shot out of it in a small burst. They spent several minutes dodging and blocking each other's attacks until Neji slipped off balance and Hinata threw an attack instantly. Neji stepped backward, barely avoiding a shot to his side. They both took a step back and after a moment, they returned to trading blows, careful to avoid taking damage from each other. After several more seconds, Hinata very nearly hit him again and Neji jumped back. After a few more seconds, they continued and after a few blows, Hinata stepped forward for a blow to the heart and both of them stopped. No one moved but everyone could see that Neji had dodged or blocked the attack.

"Did she get him?" Lee questioned.

"Yes," Sakura nodded and was about to start cheering but stopped when she realized that Naruto was holding the railing in a death grip.

"What?" Sakura muttered.

"It's over," Ryuu stated. "The strike was to the heart."

"So, she killed him?" Sakura questioned.

"Not by a long shot," Naruto stated voice clipped.

After a moment, Hinata leaned back, coughing up blood and everyone gasped seeing what had happened. Neji's left hand had two fingers against Hinata's attacking arm where he had used a blast of chakra to stop her attack while his right arm had delivered a direct hit to her heart.

"So that's it huh?" Neji questioned. "That's all there is to the Main Branch's power?"

_I'm not done yet,_ Hinata thought using her left hand to knock Neji's right away and threw an attack at his head. However, before she could hit him, he caught her wrist and hit a spot beside her elbow. Then, he pulled her sleeve up and revealed several burnt spots along her arm. All perfectly round and bright red.

"But...you mean..." Hinata gasped. "All this time you-"

"That's right," Neji interrupted, voice cold. "I could see your chakra points the whole time."

"What's he talking about?" Naruto questioned.

"On the Chakra Network there are three hundred sixteen chakra centers, or chakra points, and each are only about the size of the head of a pin," Kakashi explained. "Hitting one directly can affect the flow of chakra either halting it or increasing it, depending on how the attacker strikes the chakra points. Theoretically, doing so allows one to gain complete control of their opponent's chakra flow. But these chakra points, they're undetectable, even to my Sharingan eye. And even beyond the ability to see the chakra points, he can target them accurately, even during intense battle."

Suddenly Neji hit Hinata again and launched her backward.

"Look Hinata, I'm completely out of your league and that won't change," Neji stated. "That is what separates the elites from the failures. You may not like it but it's a fact. From the instant you said you wouldn't run anymore, your fate was sealed. You were destined for failure. And now, you're consumed with hopelessness. Now this is your last warning Hinata. Forfeit this match."

"I...I..." Hinata, now on her hands and knees, struggled to say before pushing herself up, more blood running down her chin. "I never...go back...on...my word. Because that is my nindo, my ninja way."

Naruto blinked in surprise, remembering telling his class the same thing a long time ago. Naruto snapped back to reality to see Hinata look up at him and smile then lower her gaze to Neji as her Byakugan reactivated.

"Bring it on!" Neji said reactivating his own.

Suddenly she doubled over, coughing up more blood. Naruto gripped the rail tightly as Neji took his fighting pose again. Ryuu looked around and saw that everyone was giving the Hyugas the same look. The fight was over. Hinata had lost. They all knew it.

"No," Naruto whispered to himself. "Don't risk your life to prove your point. You can't win."

Hinata sprinted forward again, attacking Neji as before but still couldn't hurt him. This time, she wasn't using gentle fist, she was simply trying to hit him. And still, she couldn't. Finally, after about five minutes, Neji hit Hinata's arm away then slammed his hand into the bottom of her jaw, launching her yet again. Hinata stood and sprinted forward, attacking Neji but he knocked her attack aside then delivered his own along with a massive blast of chakra to her heart yet again.

Hinata coughed up blood again as her knees gave out and she fell forward. Everyone gasped and Naruto took a step back, leaning on the back wall with a sick expression.

"You just don't get it do you?" Neji questioned. "Your strikes were ineffective from the very start. You're finished."

He deactivated his Byakugan and stared down at her in disgust.

"It's too bad but after that blow to the heart, Hinata...is done," Might Guy stated.

"Don't say that!" Naruto snapped. "What the hell are the Medical Nin here for, huh?"

"They can only help if she concedes or Hayate calls it," Guy stated.

Hayate finally stepped forward and looked down at Hinata.

"Since she's unable to continue, the winner of this match is-"

"No!" Hinata managed to say as she began to push herself up again, barely able to move.

Finally, she reached her feet and stood, barely conscious.

"What do you think you're doing?" Neji questioned. "If you continue to fight, you'll die."

After a few seconds, Neji finally activated his Byakugan and Hinata began stumbling forward.

"I'm far from finished," Hinata stated.

"Give up the tough guy act," Neji ordered. "I can tell you're barely standing. You've been carrying a very heavy burden, having been born to the Main Branch of the Hyuga Clan. And you've cursed and blamed yourself for being weak. But look, people can't change the way they are. That's just how it is. Just accept defeat and you won't have to suffer anymore."

"No, you're wrong Brother," Hinata panted. "You've got it backwards. You see...I can tell...that you're the one...You're suffering much more than I."

"I what?" Neji questioned not understanding.

"You are the one...who's all torn up...about the fate of the Main and Side Branches of the Hyuga Clan," Hinata stated.

Neji suddenly growled in frustration and charged forward, shouting in rage.

"Neji no!" Hayate shouted running to intercept him but not able to run fast enough. "The match is over!" _Oh man!_

At the last second, Guy, Kakashi, Hayate, and Kurenai all caught Neji's arm with Hayate placing two fingers on Neji's forehead and calming him. Naruto was at the railing but Ryuu had a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Neji, get ahold of yourself," Guy ordered. "You promised me you wouldn't let this whole Head Family thing get you riled up!"

"Why are you and the other jonin butting in?" Neji demanded. "The Head Family gets special treatment huh?"

Hinata suddenly coughed and Kurenai rushed over and caught her as she collapsed. Lee, Naruto, and Sakura all dropped to the ring and rushed over to check on her as well and Ryuu followed standing beside Lee.

Hinata tried to speak but blacked out before she could and Neji called out to Naruto.

"Hey you, Loser," Neji called and Naruto turned toward him out of instinct. "Two pieces of advice for you. One, if you insist on calling yourself a ninja, stop that stupid cheering of yours, it's disgraceful. And second, once a failure, always a failure. You can't change that."

"We'll see about that," Naruto growled sprinting forward but Lee appeared in their path as Ryuu caught Naruto's arm. "What the Hell you guys?"

"We get it," Lee stated. "Trust us. But the rules say that all fighting must be done officially in a match. The Loser beating the Genius through sheer willpower alone. Does that not sound like an exciting match?"

"Sounds like it's exactly what Neji deserves," Naruto muttered.

"True," Ryuu muttered. "But whether you or Lee fight Neji, he's going to get his ass kicked. So calm down for now."

"Fine," Naruto sighed. "Have it your way."

Lee and Guy silently flashed each other thumbs up and Ryuu rolled his eyes looking back to see several Medical Nin carrying Hinata away on a stretcher.

"Too far Neji," Ryuu growled. "You could easily have disabled her arms and legs."

"I warned her she would die," Neji shrugged.

"Regardless of whether you win or lose against Lee or Naruto, I'm going to kick your ass myself," Ryuu promised. "Better yet, I'll send you into cardiac arrest, minus the medics."

Ryuu turned and walked away as Neji remained silent. Ryuu glanced at Hayate as Hayate began to cough. The others didn't seem to notice so he had likely been doing it for a while. After a few minutes of coughing hard, Hayate took a shaky breath and looked around.

_He seems really...sick...so that's who it is,_ Ryuu thought remembering what Yugao had told him. _I see._

They all returned to the balcony and the screen displayed Lee and Gaara's names. Gaara, apparently, was the Sunagakure kid with the gourd that Ryuu didn't like. Both dropped to the floor and the cork from the gourd shot out of it and at Lee who caught it then dropped it.

"Alright," Hayate spoke. "If you are both ready, begin."

Lee sprinted forward, jumping and spinning away from Gaara, throwing a kick. Just before it hit, a wall of sand appeared between his foot and Gaara, blocking the attack. Lee landed on his feet and then leapt away as the wall of sand turned into something akin to a hand and crashing down where he had been. As Lee slid to a stop, he looked at Gaara and saw the sand returning to the gourd.

"So that's it," Ryuu muttered. "This should be interesting."

Lee darted forward again, leaping into the air and throwing a kick at Gaara. The sand hit his foot, spinning him. Lee landed on his feet and spun again, again the sand blocking it. Lee continued trying, nothing getting past the sand. The sand suddenly shot toward him but he drew a kunai and slashed it, forcing it to separate. This happened for several minutes before Lee dove aside from a wall of sand then rolled along the ground before leaping into the ground and hurling several shuriken at Gaara, the sand blocking it.

"He's shielding himself with the sand!" Naruto gasped.

"He's not doing it," the Sand ninja with the bandaged object on his back, Kankuro, snorted. "The sand protects him of its own accord. That's why he's never been hurt. No one can touch him."

"Is that all?" Gaara suddenly spoke up making everyone freeze. "I hope you're not done entertaining me yet. We haven't had enough blood."

The sand suddenly shot away from Gaara, toward Lee and he leapt into the air only for the sand to catch his foot and swing him around before hurling him into the wall. Lee rolled out of the way of some of the sand and sprinted forward, attacking Gaara again with a series of punches and kicks but nothing made it past the sand. Suddenly, the Sand shot up at him. He began to do successive back flips. Just as he began to get away, he landed on sand and slipped. Instantly, a massive sand hand formed over him and fell. At the last second, Lee leapt out of the way, landing on top of the fingers of the stature in front of the wall with the screen in it.

"Alright Lee, take 'em off!" Guy called out holding up a thumbs up and Ryuu grinned.

"But Sensei, you said that it was only a last resort," Lee called back. When the lives of very important people were at stake!"

"That's right I did," Guy stated. "But this is an exception."

Lee instantly switched to a seated position, pulling his leg warmers down off, exposing his leg weights and standing, one in each hand.

"Leg weights?" Sakura questioned.

"Watch," Ryuu smirked as Lee let go of the weights.

Everyone in the room was either looking at Lee in confusion or mockingly. The looks all faded to shock as the weights crashed down, sending debris flying and forming a crater each.

"Alright, now go!" Guy ordered.

"Yes sir!" Lee shouted.

He knelt down and then was gone. Gaara looked around in shock before Lee appeared behind Gaara, fist smashing straight through the sand and stopping just short of Gaara before Lee vanished again. He appeared on the opposite side and his foot smashed through the sand. Then a fist in front of him, a foot behind him, another foot to his left, and so on and so forth with Gaara looking around, unable to keep up, much like the others around the room, besides Ryuu, who had his Sharingan active. Ryuu could track him but definitely wouldn't be able to keep up now that Lee wasn't being weakened due to proximity to the Brothers' armor.

Lee's fist suddenly smashed through the sand and past Gaara's head, missing by less than an inch making Gaara freeze. Lee continued in this fashion, smashing sand and nearly hitting Gaara for several minutes before finally jumping over the sand around Gaara and smashing his feet into Gaara's head on the way down. The strike was so fast that the corner of his sandal left a shallow cut on Gaara's cheek.

"Yes Lee!" Guy shouted. "Let the power of youth explode!"

"Right!" Lee shouted sprinting forward again.

Gaara held his hand up, sending out a wave of sand at Lee but he vanished. Reappearing behind Gaara and punching a hole in the sand before almost instantly smashing more on the opposite side. As Gaara turned toward it just in time for Lee's fist to crash into his jaw, launching him away. Gaara stood as pieces of his face began to fall away as sand. He looked up at Lee, grinning and Lee's eyes widened. His body was covered in cracked sand, almost like armor, which several people realized, it was. Sand rose from the ground, restoring his armor which blended with his body flawlessly, leaving no indication that he had it and leaving no injuries at all.

"Well?" Gaara questioned. "Is that all?"

_I cannot touch him, _Lee thought. _My speed will not be enough. But maybe if I can get him off the ground, away from the sand, then hit him hard from above, with the Lotus..._

Lee began to unwrap the bandages around his arms and everyone watched with rapt attention. After a moment, Lee began to blur around Gaara, kicking up a ring of dust.

"What are you waiting for?" Gaara questioned.

"Okay, you asked for it," Lee stated before appearing below him and smashing his foot into the underside of his jaw.

Then, Lee leapt after him, smashing his feet into Gaara's stomach again and again as the two of them moved higher and higher into the air. Finally, he swung his arms forward, the bandages wrapping around Gaara before Lee grabbed on and flipped over, beginning to spin. They quickly turned into a blur as they fell.

"Take this!" Lee shouted. "Primary Lotus!"

The impact creates a massive crater in the ground and Lee landed a ways away, re-wrapping his bandages and breathing hard while Gaara simply lay there. cracks now spiderwebbed across his body and his eyes stared unblinkingly at the ceiling.

"It is over, I got him," Lee stated smiling tiredly.

After another moment, Hayate walked over as Gaara's body began to fall apart, revealing the sand armor, now hollow.

"No way," Ryuu breathed as Naruto shouted the same thing.

"What?" Lee gasped.

Suddenly, sand rose up behind Lee, revealing Gaara. Lee turned around in surprise as Gaara made one hand seal. Sand shot into the air in three tendrils then at Lee. Lee blocked the first but it shot sideways just in time for the second to blast Lee away. Lee struggled to stand but collapsed, too tired to be able to stand. Gaara grinned as a Tsunami roe up around him then fell toward Lee. It swept Lee up then smashed him against the wall before he fell to the ground. Gaara blasted him again and everyone on the balcony watched in shocked silence. Gaara retracted his sand then sent several more blasts at him, Lee barely dodging each. Gaara made a hand seal again and Lee instinctively crossed his arms in front of himself. Gaara blasted him, the sand remaining where it was and spinning, pressing down on Lee slowly like a dull drill. Finally the sand retreated only to blast Lee backward again as he sat up. Lee stood, panting for breath with his arms crossed in front of his face.

"What good do you think that'll do?" Gaara snorted as sand rose in front of him but didn't attack.

After a moment, it blasted him and Lee landed hard. The sand instantly crashed onto his back, acting as a drill again. After a moment, it retracted again and again he stood, holding his arms up defensively.

"He can't go on," Sakura stated turning to Guy. "Make him quit before he gets himself killed."

This time, as the sand shot forward, Lee vanished, reappearing on one side, then the other, then the other smiling tauntingly. Gaara began sending blast after blast of sand at Lee and Lee avoided every one with ease, if not moving as fast.

"Lee's smiling!" Sakura gasped. "He's running for his life and he's smiling!"

"Yes, but now it's Gaara's turn to run," Guy stated smiling. "The Leaf Village Lotus, blooms twice."

"I've heard that somewhere before," Sakura muttered. "Yeah, Lee told me that."

"But...Guy...no you didn't!" Kakashi breathed.

"Yes Kakashi I did," Guy nodded.

"So that Genin, that boy, is able to open the Eight Inner Gates and use the Hidden Lotus?" Kakashi questioned.

"That's correct," Guy affirmed, voice emotionless.

"Well, if that isn't the most..." Kakashi stopped himself, taking a calming breath. "Okay, so then how many of the Inner Gates is he able to open now?"

"Five Gates," Guy informed lowing his head.

"Okay, what exactly are these Eight Gates you're talking about, and the Hidden Lotus?" Sakura questioned.

"The Eight Gates are like valves, or chakra limiters, that must be opened if one is too release the Hidden Lotus," Guy stated.

"I'm still not following," Sakura stated.

"There are gates along the chakra networks, at the points where the chakra is most heavily concentrated," Kakashi stated lifting his forehead protector and looking at Lee. "Starting at the head, they are the Gate of Opening, the Gate of Rest, of Life, of Pain, of Closing, of Joy, of Shock, and the Gate of Death. These are what are called the Eight Inner Gates. There purpose is to limit the flow of chakra through the body. But the Lotus exerts tremendous pressure on these limiters, eventually forcing the Gates open. This releases the restraints on the chakra. The result being that the person's strength can be increased tenfold, or more."

"The Primary Lotus opens only the first Gate, The Gate of Opening, releasing the Brains restraint on the muscles," Guy stated. "This frees a person to bring forth their body's strength to its full extent. You've...seen the results."

"And the...Hidden Lotus?" Sakura questioned.

"At the second Gate, the Gate of Rest, one's strength is increased further," Guy explained. "And at the third Gate, the Gate of Life, one enters the Hidden Lotus."

"Wait, just the Primary Lotus almost destroyed him, he could barely move," Sakura stated. "What's gonna happen to him if he takes it farther?"

"Exactly," Kakashi sighed. "By opening all eight Gates, you could obtain power beyond even the Hokages. The only draw back is...you die. I don't know what this boy means to you Guy, but I shouldn't have to tell you that we never bring our personal feelings into play. I wouldn't have thought you were capable of this."

"You have no right," Guy stated. "You know nothing about him. Nothing at all! That boy has something important to prove. And he's determined to prove it. Even at the cost of his life. And I am determined to help him reach his goal. Not for his sake, but because that goal is worth reaching."

Lee crossed his arms in front of him as waves of energy began to shoot up around him. A memory of Guy teaching him the technique but warning him that he could only use it on one condition.

_And that condition is..._ Lee thought as the waves intensified.

"I don't know what you think you're planning right now, but this match is over for you," Gaara stated making a hand seal and preparing to blast Lee again.

"You are right," Lee stated. "It is over. One way or another. Neji, Sasuke, and...I am not going to be the only one to lose here."

His hair began to float up as if caught by a slow up current and his skin turned an angry red. "Guy Sensei, please let this work. It is now or never."

Glowing blue chakra began to roll off of him and everyone stared in shock. Lee swung his arms down, the chakra stopped coming off of everywhere except for his feet and forming a circle around him.

_To protect one's own Ninja Way!_ Lee thought, remembering the condition for using the technique. _Third Gate, Gate of Life, open!_

The chakra, now forming a ring around him and a crater below that. Debris began to float up past him as a green aura appeared around his body.

"The Fourth Gate," Lee growled in pain, bending forward. "Gate of Pain...open!"

Lee then darted forward, the floor behind him exploding into a destroyed trail leading to Gaara. When he arrived, he smashed his foot into the underside of Gaara's jaw, sending him flying while an explosion of dust and debris shot through the room. After a moment, it began to clear near the ground enough for everyone to see that Gaara and Lee were gone.

"Gaara!" Kankuro shouted.

"Where'd they...go?" Naruto gasped.

"Up there!" Shikamaru suddenly shouted as Gaara exited the top of the dust cloud, his sand armor cracking and falling away slowly.

"There's Gaara but what happened to Lee?" Ino questioned.

"He's just...gone!" Choji stated.

His sand rose up, only now catching up as Lee darted toward him again.

"Hiding behind that Sand Armor again eh?" Lee sneered. "Well we will see about that!"

He appeared over Gaara, smashing him toward the floor only to appear below him and smash him back up. Then, just as Gaara cleared his arc, he began shooting around in mid air like something in visible had a hold of him and was shaking him. This continued for several minutes.

"You are a tough one!" Lee noted seeing Gaara was still conscious after Lee smashed him upward yet again. "Try this!"

He landed on the ground then leapt to the ceiling and back at Gaara from above. He struggled to curl his hand into a fist, then to pull it back. His muscles were beginning to tear themselves apart from the stress placed on his body and it was beginning to show.

"One more and we are finished!" Lee shouted. "The Fifth Gate...Gate of Closing...open!"

Lee vanished for half a second as he neared Gaara before appearing at the exact same time his fist crashed into Gaara's stomach. Gaara flew toward the ground but snapped to a stop[ and looked up to see Lee holding him by a bandage now wrapped around Gaara's waist over the white cloth Gaara already wore there. Lee yanked Gaara back up to himself just in time for Lee's right fist and foot to explode into Gaara's torso at the same time.

"Hidden Lotus!" Lee shouted as the attack blasted Gaara to the floor fifty feet below in under a second.

A massive cloud of dust and rubble instantly filled the room, blocking everyone's view. Lee flew out of the cloud of dust and rolled along the ground before coming to a stop. As the dust slowly cleared, everyone stared in shock as it revealed Gaara, laying in a bed of sand made from the Gourd on his back. Lee sat up, staring at Gaara in surprise. Gaara slowly lifted his hand, his body shaking from exhaustion. Sand from below him began to move toward Lee forming a perfect hand, rather than the misshapen silhouettes from before. Lee turned to try to crawl away but his right arm and leg failed to support his weight, pain shooting through his body when he tried.

_Impossible!_ Lee thought. _He not only survived the Hidden Lotus, but he still has the strength to go on the attack!_

Two tentacle like pieces of sand extending from under him and running under the hand suddenly latched on around his left arm and leg.

"Sand Burial!" Gaara grunted closing his fist as the sand constricted, instantly crushing Lee's arm and leg.

The sand then lifted him and moved him further away before slamming him back down, knocking him unconscious. The sand hand continued, nearing him quickly.

_No!_ Hayate gasped as the hand descended.

At the last second, Guy flashed between Lee and the hand, smashing it to pieces as Gaara sat up watching with a mix of surprise and hatred. After a moment, Gaara groaned, placing a hand on the side of his head.

"But why?" Gaara questioned. "He failed. Why save him?"

"Because he's..." Guy began but trailed off. "Because he's...he's my student. And also because he's precious to me."

After a moment, Gaara stood, his gourd reforming from the sand below him and the rest returned to it, bringing the cork with it. Then, he began walking away.

"I quit," Gaara stated as he walked.

"He what?" Sakura gasped. "He quits?"

"But it's too late for Lee," Kakashi stated. "He lost the match the moment Guy intervened."

"The winner is..." Hayate stopped, his mouth falling open as he stared past Guy, the others around the room doing the same.

Gaara turned to look and also adopted a disbelieving look. Guy turned around, knowing what he would find and sure enough, Lee was on his feet again, his left arm hanging uselessly at his side, blood running down it from the wound the sand had made as well as running down from the wound in his left leg which was shaking.

"It can't be," Guy breathed.

_After all that, he shouldn't be able to move,_ Kakashi thought. _Let alone stand up!_

Guy rushed over to Lee, resting his hands on his shoulders.

"No Lee," Guy said calmly. "It's alright. It's all over now. Anyway, you're in no condition to..."

He stopped, his eyes widening as he realized that, while standing and ready to try to fight, Lee's face was empty. He wasn't even conscious.

"Lee...oh Lee," Guy suddenly began to cry. "What have I done? Look at you. Not even conscious and you're still determined to show the world what you can do."

_He's out cold,_ Kakashi sighed. _Nothing keeping him up but sheer willpower._

"Lee," Guy continued pulling Lee into a hug. "You already proven it. You are a splendid ninja."

"The winner is Gaara," Hayate stated then looked around and jumped up to Ryuu. "We will have to hold your fight outside now. You'll be up against an ANBU so all you need to do is put up a fight. If you do well enough, I will judge that you pass."

Ryuu nodded and Hayate left. No one else moved. After a moment, Sakura moved to jump down but Kakashi stopped her.

"There is nothing you can do for him right now," Kakashi stated. "There are times when sympathetic words only make things worse."

The medics moved over to Guy, gently setting Lee down and checking his injuries. After a moment, one of them looked up at Guy in shock.

"You're his teacher aren't you?" the medic questioned.

"I am," Guy nodded voice hoarse. "What is it?"

"Will you...come with me?" the medic questioned standing then leading Guy to an empty corner of the room where they wouldn't be overheard while the other two set Lee gently on the stretcher. "The boy's breathing is faint but stable. There are bone fractures and muscle tears throughout his body. He's facing a long and hard and hard rehabilitation. But I'm afraid that's not the worst of it. His left arm and leg in particular suffered major damage. I'm sorry. I know how much it means to you both, but he'll never fight again. His days of being a Shinobi are over."

The medic then bowed and turned, walking to the others and they took Lee away. Kakashi dropped to the floor and walked over to Guy.

"Guy," Kakashi began. "What I said earlier, it was out of line. I was being a self-righteous fool. I realize now, that if I'd been in your shoes, I probably couldn't have stopped him either...Come on Guy. The next match is outside."

"Right," was all Guy said.

Everyone slowly filed out of the building and Ryuu brought up the rear. Everyone else took to the trees leaving Hayate and Ryuu standing in the clearing around the building. Ryuu looked around and Hayate could only smirk.

"Be patient," Hayate smiled.

Finally, swirl of leaves appeared beside Hayate and then blew away leaving Yugao standing beside him.

"Neko-chan!" Ryuu smiled. "Of course he would pit me against you."

Yugao smiled behind her mask and nodded, drawing her sword. Ryuu decided against using a Flame Sword and instead drew his tanto, creating a Vacuum Blade over it. After a moment of silence, Yugao darted forward, slashing at Ryuu. He blocked her slash and shoved her sword away then slashed at her stomach. She jumped back, avoiding the slash easily then thrust her sword forward. Ryuu swept it sideways then swung at the top of her head. She turned sideways, the Vacuum Blade flashing through the spot she had been as her sword flashed toward Ryuu's chest. He spun around then blade and slashed at her again only for her to block it then trip him. He landed on his back then rolled out of the way of her sword standing.

"You've gotten better," Yugao noted pulling her sword out of the ground. "But you're holding back. I can take anything you can dish."

Ryuu nodded and stabbed his Vacuum Blade into the ground making hand seals.

"Fire Style, Giant Fire Ball Jutsu!" Ryuu shouted before exhaling a massive fire ball at her.

She leapt to the side, avoiding the fireball that exploded against the ground, sending smoke and dust throughout the clearing. When it cleared, Ryuu was gone, along with his sword and Vacuum Blade.

"Hayate," Yugao sighed shaking her head, voice almost a whisper so only Hayate and possibly Ryuu knew it.. "I should have known you would teach him that one."

She suddenly spun, blocking an invisible Ryuu's likewise invisible blade.

"Bet you didn't know I knew the Transparency Jutsu too huh?" Yugao muttered still being quiet as Ryuu became visible again. "You mastered it quite well, nearly as good as Hayate."

"Thanks," He smiled just as thunder rumbled overhead and both leapt back as it began to rain. "Can you say corny?"

"Not unless one of us was fighting for revenge over a loved one's death," Yugao smirked behind her mask. "Shall we?"

They both charged forward, fighting in a near blur, rain bouncing off of their blades, the Vacuum Blade included, and flying around them as their blades clashed. After a few minutes, Ryuu ducked under a slash and kicked Yugao back, his Sharingan active.

"Finally decide to not hold back?" Yugao questioned as Ryuu began making hand seals.

"Just wanted some room," Ryuu smirked, Sharingan deactivating. "Fire Style, Dragon Flame Bomb!"

He exhaled a massive stream of flames. The heat was so intense that it instantly began to evaporate the rain three feet away and light the grass on fire. Yugao leapt over the stream which blasted a tree, exploding and demolishing three, thankfully all unoccupied, and the explosions put out all of the fires. As Yugao landed, Ryuu was forming more hand seals and grinning.

"Wind Style, Air Bullets!" He exhaled a dozen spheres of air but they only hovered around him as he made still more hand seals. "Fire Style, Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

He exhaled several fire balls that mixed with the Air Bullets, one each, before each now red, glowing ball of wind-strengthened fireball flew at Yugao. She jumped past one, slashing it but it merely became two and followed her while the others turned onto an intercept trajectory. Finally, all of the spheres exploded around Yugao as she landed, leaving her unharmed but the air around her so hot that it was nearly impossible to breathe. She fell to her knees gasping for breath for a moment before Ryuu used several Air Bullet explosions to cool the air.

"Where did...you...learn that?" Yugao questioned.

"I got a lot of practice while I was held captive," Ryuu stated. "One of the bases only experimented by watching Kekkei Genkai in action."

Yugao shook her head, smirking then stood and wiped some sweat from her forehead, reaching under her mask briefly.

"Impressive," Yugao stated walking sideways away from the still warm air before readying her sword. "No more jutsus. Let's see if you've learned anything about sword fighting."

She charged and as she neared him, Ryuu thrust his Vacuum Blade toward her, fully expecting her to dodge it. She tried too. However, the rain had made the grass slippery, a fact both had failed to realize. As a result, the foot she tried to propel herself sideways with slipped on the wet grass and she continued forward instead. The Vacuum Blade, while aimed at her stomach, instead drove itself through her chest, just barely missing her heart but still fatally wounding her. Everyone stared in shock as the Vacuum Blade faded and Yugao collapsed, blood flooding out of her wound.

"H...Hayate...help her!" Ryuu shouted, voice week and pinched.

"Sh...she...b-but...she...she can't..." Hayate struggled to do anything and Ryuu looked around, seeing that the others were all in much the same state and the medics still weren't back from transporting Lee yet.

"Damn!" Ryuu swore activating his Sharingan and using the ability he had copied while watching Lee's fight.

Chakra exploded off of him as the fifth Inner Gate and the four before it all exploded open and Ryuu picked up Yugao, standing and vanishing.

"He...that was...the fifth Gate," Kakashi breathed.

"He...must have copied it from Lee," Guy stated.

"But...the Sharingan can't copy that ability," Kakashi stated. "It can't see the Gates. Only the Byakugan can."

"Then how the hell did he open the fifth Gate?" Neji demanded.

Everyone fell silent, unable to formulate any form of clue, none knowing the meaning of the necklace they had all seen Ryuu wearing or Ryuu's true heritage.

* * *

Ryuu arrived at the Leaf's hospital and several medical ninjas noticed him instantly as he staggered forward, the Inner Gates all closed again, leaving him barely standing.

"What happened?" one demanded.

"Accident," Ryuu gasped, unable to breathe properly. "Stabbed...Accident...Help her!"

The medics took Yugao, carrying her inside to the more experienced medics then returned to the now unconscious Ryuu.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

* * *

Training

Ryuu opened his eyes and looked around. White walls, white floor, white ceiling, white bed, white sheets, white blanket, white pillow, white chairs, white heart monitor. Hospital. Tenten was beside him with Lee's bed on the other side of her. Neji wasn't there, meaning he was probably training, and Hayate was sitting beside Tenten. On Ryuu's other side was Yugao.

"Good morning," Yugao smiled.

"Master, I'm so sorry," Ryuu began. "I didn't mean-"

"It's alright," Yugao smiled. "I made a rookie mistake and slipped. They patched me up easily. You on the other hand, were in much worse condition. While I was a relatively serious death risk, you opened the Gate of Closing. Idiot. Your body didn't go through the proper training to use it so you destroyed your body using it. Your muscles were almost completely shredded, a few of your bones were cracked, the bones in your feet and legs were all shattered, and your heart very nearly tore itself free of your Aorta. You can't use the Inner Gates again. It's going to kill you. They managed to heal you completely this time but if you had used it for even a minute longer, you'd be dead. Promise me you won't use it again."

"I promise," Ryuu nodded then turned to Tenten. "How's Lee?"

"He's not good," Tenten stated. "He used the Gates so long that his body tore itself apart, his limbs shattered themselves from him hitting Gaara, and Gaara crushed his left arm and leg. He won't be a ninja again. He can't."

Ryuu nodded and turned his attention to Hayate.

"Even if because of an accident, you did win your fight," Hayate stated. "In reality, accidents don't mean the person who wins because of them loses anyway so it won't here either. Congratulations. You're continuing."

"Thank you," Ryuu smiled. "When can I leave?"

"Now," a Medical Nin stated walking in. "You're all healed so we were just waiting for you to wake up."

"Sasuke took the liberty of getting you a clean set of clothes for you," Yugao stated pointing at the pile of clothes with his tanto and trench knife sitting on the top.

Ryuu instinctively reached to his neck but realized the necklace was gone.

"I have your necklace," Yugao stated before he could panic. "Figured you should probably keep that fact about yourself a secret for the time being."

"Thank you," Ryuu sighed smiling.

She nodded and they all left allowing him to get dressed before he left the room and she handed the necklace over. Then, Tenten returned to the room and the others left. Ryuu pulled his necklace on and turned to Yugao.

"I'll meet you at the clearing in a few minutes," Yugao stated. "You have a month to train before the next part of the exam so I'm going to oversee your training personally with a bit of help I found recently. For now, I need to talk to Hayate for a moment."

Ryuu nodded and vanished in a swirl of fallen leaves. He arrived at the clearing within minutes and sighed leaning against the tree. His older brother had been a master of the Body Flicker Technique. Ryuu was only skilled enough for it to require nearly no chakra and to be able to attack while using it, though he was saving that ability for a certain someone. He remembered several times when his brother would use the technique to make himself seem to flicker like a flame or a crappy film. He remembered that no one ever seemed to notice except him and Itachi.

After a few minutes, Yugao walked into the clearing and grinned.

"The help will be here in about thirty seconds," Yugao stated.

Exactly thirty seconds later, light suddenly appeared, shimmering in a very long oval, just touching the ground. Then, it faded, leaving Fu standing in its place.

"Fu," Ryuu breathed before a wide grin spread over his face. "You ditched me!"

"I told you I would leave," Fu stated.

"I figured you'd wait until I woke up," Ryuu stated.

"Figured I should avoid all of the difficult questions," Fu shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Ryuu smiled. "But, I'm guessing you're still not staying."

Once again, Fu's face adopted the same look that he had seen any other time he brought it up, tears almost instantly spilling from her eyes.

"I didn't figure," Ryuu sighed. "How long are you staying?"

"Until the next part of the exam," Fu stated. "Until then, I'm free to break you a hundred different ways until you don't want me to stay."

"Not possible," Ryuu smirked. "You will never be able to keep me away. Even if you tried to kill me."

Fu's face fell to the ground and Ryuu blinked in surprise. Then, Fu wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Good," Fu smiled. "I prefer my slaves loyal."

Ryuu grinned then spun and blocked Yugao's katana with his trench knife, pulling out a kunai to go with it.

"Going with speed huh?" Yugao questioned. "Okay. You're fighting her though."

Ryuu glanced at Fu to see her holding two trench knives but hers were different. They were kunai with a finger guard that mas made out of a centimeter and a half thick round metal bar that all four of her fingers fit into, then had a kunai blade that was about fifty percent longer than normal, give or take. Yugao stepped back and Ryuu grinned as he turned toward Fu. She slashed at his neck and he blocked it with his trench knife and slashed at her with his kunai. She leapt back from it then darted forward, slashing at him again. He ducked under the knife and spun past Fu, catching her leg and tripping her, placing his trench blade against the back of her neck.

"You lose," Ryuu grinned. "What next?"

"Now you have to fight us both," Yugao stated. "And no Sharingan."

Ryuu nodded and Yugao charged forward. Ryuu ducked under the katana then spun, slashing at Yugao's stomach. Yugao leapt back then swung her sword at the top of his head as Fu darted forward to slash Ryuu's back.

"No way," Ryuu grinned blocking Yugao's katana with his kunai and both of Fu's blades with his trench knife using the jagged section of the blade over his fingers. "You know you can't get me like that."

Ryuu shoved their blades away and spun, tripping them then used the Body Flicker Technique to move around behind Fu, catching her and miming slitting her throat. Then, he set her down in time to sweep Yugao's sword aside then slashed with his kunai. Yugao jumped back from it then slashed again and Ryuu blocked it then spun, forcing the blade away before vanishing in a swirl of sparks from their blades scraping against each other. He reappeared behind her and slashed at her back. Instead of dodging the attack, she allowed it to carve through her spine. She vanished in a cloud of smoke, and another dropped from above. Ryuu spun out of the way of the vertical slash then began spinning and slashing at her again and again and again. Yugao managed to block the two blades with her own for several moments before Ryuu aimed at the sword specifically and knocked it away with his kunai before stopping with his trench knife resting against her throat, pressing the skin but just short of breaking it. He pulled it away and smirked.

"I'm impressed," Yugao grinned. "You're much faster than I expected. However, you're a better fighter with your tanto. You know that right?"

"I know," Ryuu nodded. "But If I don't need to use it, I try not to."

"I see," Yugao nodded. "Since you can beat us both, I think it's time for Fu to begin your jutsu training."

Ryuu nodded and turned toward Fu.

"Let's begin," Fu smiled.

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. I know the fights are mostly important but I think most are so boring so I'll be only doing the Uchiha this chapter.

* * *

Examining Chaos

* * *

"Welcome to the final round of the Chunin exams," the new proctor, Genma, began speaking to the genin assembled before him, excluding Naruto and Sasuke. "The rules are the same as the preliminaries. The fight continues until-"

Just then, the door burst open and Naruto sprinted through sliding to a stop beside Ryuu.

"Sorry I'm late," Naruto panted looking around. "Hey, where's Sasuke?"

"Late," Ryuu stated. "He'll be here."

"As I was saying," Genma continued. "The rules are the same as the preliminaries. Each fight continues until one side is unable to continue or until I call the match. These are the matches for the first round."

He held up a piece of paper with each of the matches written down. Sasuke was up against Gaara, Naruto against Neji, Shikamaru against Temari, Kankuro against Shino, and Ryuu against a blank space.

"Aren't I supposed to fight the sound Village Kid?" Ryuu questioned.

"He was...disqualified for outside fighting so you'll be fighting someone else," Genma lied, deciding against telling them all that the kid had actually been killed. "He is a volunteer shinobi who claims to simply wander around, helping those in need in exchange for enough money to survive."

"I see," Ryuu nodded already not trusting the ninja.

Just then, a second ninja appeared behind Genma and whispered something then vanished and Genma sighed.

"As Sasuke Uchiha is not here, his match has been moved to last!" Genma called out to the people watching from the stands. "Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga will go first."

* * *

Ryuu stood leaning on the railing watching Naruto and Neji fight but without seeing it. His mind was reliving the last of the time he had with Fu before she left yet again.

* * *

one day earlier

* * *

"Alright," Fu nodded, grinning. "That's all I can teach you. Now, I think that you should practice on your own."

"You're not leaving yet are you?" Ryuu questioned.

"I should leave," Fu stated.

"You're still not done whatever it is you have to do are you?" Ryuu questioned.

"No," Fu sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Ryuu smiled. "But before you leave, spend the day with me."

"Okay," Fu smiled. "But only today."

Ryuu beamed and the two of them left the clearing and made their way to Konoha. They stopped at the first good restaurant they came to and went inside. Within minutes they were seated and were given menus before the waiter left. Ryuu scanned through the menu briefly before closing it and setting it aside. After a moment, Fu set her own menu aside. She sighed, knowing what was coming.

"What is it that's so important that you can't stay?" Ryuu finally asked.

"I...can't tell you," Fu sighed. "It's not that I don't want to. Believe me, if I had the choice I'd stay with you forever. But I have to finish my job. Once that's done, we'll be together. I promise."

"Okay," Ryuu nodded. "Why can't I help you?"

"Because it's not something I can let you get involved in," Fu stated. "Trust me, it's for your own protection."

Ryuu nodded, remembering the answers from the last thousand times he had asked. Fu didn't mind him asking, she just wished he wouldn't. The waiter returned, taking their orders and left. Over the course of the meal, their conversation changed from one light subject to another, both of them laughing lightly at one thing or another. Finally they finished and Ryuu payed before they left. They walked along in silence, Fu holding Ryuu's arm with her head on his shoulder. Soon they ended up at the top of the Hokage Monument sitting under a tree and watching the clouds.

"You sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Ryuu finally sighed.

"No," Fu smiled up at him. "I have to go. But I'll be back."

He nodded and kissed her. She kissed him back, turning to face him while sitting in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. They remained like that for several minutes before they pulled away and Fu rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you," Ryuu stated after a few minutes and Fu instantly tensed, suddenly not breathing.

Ryuu looked down at her and saw tears flowing out of her wide eyes. Before he could ask what was wrong, she jumped up and sprinted out of his reach as he tried to catch her before she disappeared in a nearly blinding flash of light using her own Body Flicker Technique. Ryuu sat against the tree in a stunned silence for a while before standing and returning to his house to rest before the exam the next day.

* * *

Ryuu still wasn't sure why she had reacted that way but he forced his mind out of his head and focused on the battle just as Naruto exploded from the ground at Neji's feet, delivering a powerful right uppercut to his jaw. Neji landed on his back, unconscious and Naruto named the winner. Then, Neji was taken to the infirmary in the stands of the coliseum-style stadium where the exam was being held. Ryuu glanced up at Gaara who was staring at Naruto who was climbing back up to the others.

"Psst, Ryuu," an unmistakable voice whispered from just behind him. "Stairwell."

Ryuu calmly turned and walked through the waiting room as Shikamaru dropped down to the ring inside. Ryuu reached the stairwell and found Fu waiting for him smiling shyly and apologetically. He practically jumped down the stairs to her and hugged her.

"When you left I thought you were mad at me for some reason," Ryuu stated.

"I'm sorry," Fu apologized face downcast and voice ashamed. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just..."

"It's alright," Ryuu smiled. "But...what are you doing here? Did you finish already?"

"Almost," Fu stated. "By the end of today, I'm willing to bet. But first I have to warn you that _he _is here for you. Be very careful. He's been training as hard as you. He's strong."

"And then there's his armor," Ryuu stated.

"Yeah," Fu nodded. "Please be careful. I'll be keeping an eye on you. If you need me, I'll be there."

Ryuu nodded, smiling. He kissed her again then she sank into the floor and he returned to the waiting area with the others just as Shikamaru caught Temari with his Shadow Possession Jutsu using the tunnel Naruto had made to hit Neji. Shikamaru briefly explained how he had beaten her then raised both of their hands.

"Okay that's it," Shikamaru called out. "I give up."

Every single person in the stands fell silent, staring at Shikamaru in shock for a moment before everyone began shouting, voicing their matching opinions about his decision. Ryuu glanced at Genma who looked to be in shock but after a moment he named Temari the winner and the two combatants returned to their places.

"Next is Shino and Kankuro," Genma stated looking around with a slightly worried expression.

"Your opponent still isn't here," Shikamaru stated. "He's late too."

"I think I might be happy about that," Ryuu stated. "I think I know who it is."

"Proctor!" Kankuro suddenly shouted. "I withdraw so please advance to the next match."

Instantly people began shouting in annoyance. No one was happy. Especially since the next match was either Sasuke or Ryuu. Neither of which currently had both participants.

"For the love of..." Genma muttered before sighing. "Very well. Shino is the winner by default. Next should be either Sasuke and Gaara or Ryuu and his opponent. However, neither of those matches are able to be fought from a lack of the other member."

"Have Gaara fight the available Uchiha!" someone in the stands shouted.

Suddenly a ninja appeared and whispered something to Genma who groaned and rested his hand in his palm but nodded.

"There will be a ten minute recess as we wait for Sasuke and Ryuu's opponent," Genma stated. "Hokage's order."

Everyone groaned but soon fell silent and waited for the two missing ninja to show up. After ten minutes, everyone was getting restless and neither was there. Finally, Genma sighed as Gaara arrived in the arena and turned toward the stands.

"As Sasuke is not here, I have no choice but to-" He was cut off by a swirl of leaves as Kakashi and Sasuke appeared on the field.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto and Naruto and Ryuu both dropped to the ground and ran over.

"Sorry if we kept you waiting," Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head. "But, um, how late are we? I mean, it's not like Sasuke's...well...disqualified or anything...right?"

"Like master like pupil," the proctor said. "Even down to your lousy sense of time."

"Well, what about it?" Kakashi asked.

"You know you were so late that we extended the deadline for you, twice in fact," the proctor said. "It's lucky for you we did because you just made it. No, he's not disqualified."

"Oh," Kakashi said. "That's a relief. You had me worried there for a minute. So we're okay."

"Sasuke, be careful," Ryuu warned.

"Don't you dare lose," Naruto ordered. "I'm going to beat you myself."

"Whatever you say idiot," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Who did you fight?"

"Haven't," Ryuu stated. "My opponent is supposedly a wandering good Samaritan who helps out for a very small fee."

"Sounds more than a little suspicious," Sasuke stated.

"I know right," Ryuu nodded then everyone froze.

In the same amount of time it took to blink, Ryuu could feel that there was suddenly someone standing behind him. He and Sasuke slowly turned toward the presence and both of their eyes widened. It was _him_. He was about one step from Ryuu, armor glinting in the sun and a wicked grin on his face.

"Hello again Ryuu," the man greeted bowing.

"YOU!" Sasuke shouted throwing a lightning fast punch which the man easily caught.

"That's enough Sasuke," Ryuu growled resting a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "This is my opponent, isn't it Genma?"

"It is," Genma stated. "You know him?"

"He's the one that kidnapped me," Ryuu stated.

"Oh," Genma blinked voice small.

"I'll be taking your eyes for my own this time," the man stated. "Consider it payback for my brothers."

Ryuu took an involuntary step back and Genma rested a hand on his shoulder.

"We won't let him kill you," Genma promised. "Sasuke and Gaara are up first. The rest of you, please move up into the waiting areas."

Ryuu and Naruto returned to theirs and the ninja that had kidnapped Ryuu before simply jumped all the way to the top of the coliseum.

"I'm going to kill him," Ryuu growled.

"I hope so," Naruto breathed. "But how? We couldn't touch him before."

"I'll be taking care of that problem first," Ryuu stated. "But before that, Sasuke will have to fight Gaara."

They both turned back to the arena and Ryuu gripped the railing, unsure whether he was scared or excited to get to fight the ninja again.

"Alright," Genma said. "The rules for this match are the same as in the preliminaries. The match continues until one of you dies or admits defeat. However, I can stop the match, but that's solely my decision."

Gaara laughed a bit and Ryuu could guess why.

_That's what you think buddy,_ Ryuu thought. _I'd like to see you try._

Genma raised his hand then swung it down and said, "Begin!"

With that, he jumped out of the arena just as sand began to stream out of Gaara's gourd. Sasuke jumped back so that he would have time to react to any attacks. After a moment, Gaara gasped and pressed a hand to his head groaning.

"Please," Gaara said. "I beg you! Don't get so mad at me."

He smiled and began to quiver. Then he looked back up at Sasuke.

"Mother," Gaara said.

Sasuke stared at Gaara in confusion as sand continued to stream out of the gourd and form a cloud over Gaara.

"Earlier I..." Gaara said. "I know. I made you taste such awful blood. I'm so sorry. But this time...I'm sure that it will taste so very good."

Gaara suddenly doubled over gasping again and the sand fell to the ground around him. His breathing became ragged and he continued to gasp for breath for a few moments before leaning forward and dangling his arms.

Then he straightened up enough to look at Sasuke and said, "Come on."

The sand began to rise around him and rub against itself while swirling producing a loud roar. Sasuke and Gaara stared at each other for a moment waiting for the other to move.

"Here goes," Sasuke said pulling out two Shuriken and throwing them.

The sand moved in front of it and blocked the Shuriken and a sand clone formed holding the Shuriken. Sasuke began to run forward but the sand clone leaned back and his torso exploded into a wall of sand shooting at Sasuke. Sasuke jumped over the blast just as it crashed down where he had been a moment before. The clone looked up at him and threw the Shuriken and Sasuke threw two more to block the first.

As Sasuke landed, he kicked the clone's hands off then landed on his hand and spun away from the clone long enough to land on his feet and spun backhanding the clone's throat. His hand stuck halfway through, however, and the sand began to close around his wrist. He tried to pull it out but it wouldn't budge so instead he smashed the clone's head with his other hand, destroying it. The sand from the clone exploded in every direction and Sasuke started forward again as the sand to either side began to rise again. He threw a punch forward and the sand moved to block his fist but Sasuke grinned then spun and vanished, reappearing a moment later behind Gaara.

Gaara turned toward him as memories of fighting Lee flashed through his head. Sasuke smashed his fist into Gaara's cheek before he could turn all the way around and Gaara's sand armor cracked as he flew away from Sasuke, the sand following. Both smashed back down and Gaara stood.

"So that's your sand armor huh?" Sasuke asked. "Come on."

The audience stared in wrapped silence at Gaara and Sasuke.

"Come on!" Sasuke repeated. "Well if you won't, I will."

Sasuke charged at Gaara who stumbled back a step then crouched raising the sand to defend himself. When Sasuke reached the sand, he blurred around behind Gaara. Gaara sent the sand at him but Sasuke spun out of the way and charged again. When he reached Gaara, he kicked him and sent him flying.

"What's the matter Gaara?" Sasuke asked. "Is that all you've got?"

Gaara stood with the sand forming up around him and his eyes closed.

"I'm going to tear off all of your armor," Sasuke said dashing forward again.

The sand around Gaara rose in a circle and Sasuke began to run around Gaara in a blur beginning to make a funnel. Then he flipped over the sand and ran at Gaara. He kicked him in the face then grabbed the front of his shirt and smashed his knee into his stomach then jumped back. Gaara fell to his hands and knees and began panting. No one made a sound. Not even the wind was blowing.

Finally, after a while of simply staring at each other, Gaara put his hands together clasping his fingers with his pointer fingers extended upward and pressed together. The Sand began to rise then formed a dome around him.

Sasuke sprinted forward and threw a punch at the dome. The moment his fist was withing a foot of the dome, the side erupted with spikes. He stood there for a moment in surprise. His fist had made contact and he had avoided most of the spikes but the side of the dome had been so hard it had made his hand bleed.

After a moment he jumped back and the spikes sank back into the dome. Sasuke stared at it as blood dripped from his bloody knuckles.

Suddenly sand began to swirl over the dome and formed an eyeball so Gaara could see. Then Gaara began to chant, voice audible outside the dome and everyone seemed to get nervous. There was an nervous, almost scared feeling hanging in the air.

Sasuke sprinted forward again and threw three kunai into the sphere then leapt over it and began to run at it from the other side. The spikes shot out at him and he avoided them then smashed his hand into the dome. The spikes retracted and he jumped back as they began to extend again. He tried to run at the dome again but the spikes began shooting out faster and he had to cartwheel sideways to avoid them. He jumped into the air and smashed his foot into the top with no effect and jumped off just before the spikes shot out. Sasuke looked more carefully at the dome and saw a single spot where the sand had come together that was slightly weaker than the rest of the dome.

Sasuke bent his knees slightly and raised his hand in front of his face then unclasped part of a strap on his left arm. Then he jumped back and up the wall of the arena. He stopped about at the top and made several hand signs. Then he grasped his left wrist and held his hand so that the palm was about an inch away from the wall. As he focused his chakra, a ball of lightning began to form in his hand.

When his Chidori was finished, he took off sprinting down the wall holding the inside of his elbow. As he neared the dome, the spikes shot out but Sasuke evaded them and slammed his Chidori into the dome. The Chidori blasted straight through the dome then into Gaara's left shoulder. Suddenly a splitting scream rang out of the dome.

"AAAHHH!" Gaara shrieked. "BLOOOD! IT'S MY BLOOOD!"

Sasuke tried to pull his hand out but it wouldn't budge. He quickly formed another Chidori and Gaara screamed again. Then Sasuke ripped his hand free and a grotesque, sand-colored, spiked hand was dragged out with it until it couldn't stretch anymore and let go. Sasuke fell to his knee clutching his arm and the hand began to retract into the hole in the dome.

Everyone stared at the dome in shock and fear as something else began to hang in the air. Panic.

Sasuke stared at the hole waiting for something to happen. A deep growl emanated from inside the dome and Sasuke could see something inside writhing around. Then an eye moved into view. The eye was completely black where it should be white and the pupil was in the shape of a four-point star with a yellow iris around it. The moment the eye focused on Sasuke, a horrible roar rang out from the creature. Then cracks began to spread from the hole until they covered half of the dome. Then it fell away into dust. As it did, it revealed Gaara as he was but with a wound in his shoulder. There was no sign of whatever Sasuke had seen. He was breathing heavily and looked a bit scared. He clutched his wound and blood seeped out over his hand.

Just then, white feathers began to fall and everyone began to fall asleep. Ryuu realized what was happening and released himself from the Genjutsu, followed by Naruto and Sakura. Several other shinobi did the same and a moment later, the balcony where the Hokage and the Kazekage had been sitting exploded. Then, several other explosions rang out around the village while Gaara and his teammates fled followed by Sasuke and the Kazekage and the Third Hokage both jumped to the roof of their building and four Sound Ninja erected a barrier around them. Ryuu looked toward his opponent who flashed him a wicked grin then turned and fled from the arena as Sakura and then Naruto followed Gaara and Sasuke along with a couple of the others from their class.

"Sorry Naruto, Sasuke," Ryuu muttered turning back toward his opponent. "You'll have to handle this on your own."

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